LIBRARY 
Connecticut  Agricultural  College 


Vol. 


^^.3  06-G 


'lass  No.  X^l  loo  9  7^. ^X 


Oc^,  /^. ^g^Q 


2\ 


3  T1S3  OODfllbflB  7 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

The  splendid  fiftieth  chapter  of  Gibbon's 
History  of  the  *  Decline  and  fall  of  the  Ro- 
man Empire,'  with  the  learned  and  judicious 
notes  of  Dean  Milman  and  Dr.  William 
Smith,  may  be  regarded  as  at  once  a  bril- 
liant and  accurate  Life  of  the  Arabian  pro- 
phet. The  narrative  of  Gibbon  favorably 
exhibits  his  characteristic  qualities  of  com- 
prehensiveness, breadth  of  vision,  and  sus- 
tained eloquence.  The  notes  of  Dean  Mil- 
man  correct  any  ecclesiastical  errors,  and 
make  all  necessary  additions  from  the  point 
of  view  of  Church  history.  In  the  notes  of 
Dr.  William  Smith  we  have  the  last  results 
of  Oriental  scholarship  in  regard  to  Mahom- 
et's (or  Mohammed's)  Life.  Most  of  Gib- 
bon's notes,  which  contain  little  more  than 
references  to  his  authorities,  which  would 
encumber  the  page  and  add  nothing  of  in- 
terest  to    the   reader,  have   been   omitted, 


IV  Editor'' s  Preface, 

Those  that  are  retained  are  referred  to  by 
letters.  The  notes  of  Milman  and  Dr.  Smith 
are  respectively  designated  by  their  initials, 
and  referred  to  by  figures.  Following  our 
general  plan,  we  here  give  a  summary  of 
Gibbon's  life. 

GriBBON,  Edward,  was  born  at  Putney,  in 
the  county  of  Surrey,  on  the  27th  of  April, 
1737.  He  has  given  us  in  his  *  Autobiog- 
raphy,' copious  particulars  concerning  his 
life  and  writings.  From  his  own  account 
we  learn  that  in  childhood  his  health  was 
very  delicate,  and  that  his  early  education 
was  principally  conducted  by  his  aunt,  Mrs. 
Porten.  At  the  age  of  nine  he  was  sent  to 
a  boarding-school  at  Kingston-upon-Thames, 
where  he  remained  for  two  years,  but  made 
little  progress,  in  consequence  of  the  fre- 
quent interruption  of  his  studies  by  illness. 
The  same  cause  prevented  his  attention  to 
<tudy  at  Westminster  school,  whither  he 
was  sent  in  1749,  and  "  his  riper  age  was 
left  to  acquire  the  beauties  of  the  Latin  and 
the  rudiments  of  the  Greek  tongue."     After 


Editor'^s  Preface, 


residing  for  a  short  time  with  the  Rev. 
Philip  Francis,  the  translator  of  Horace,  he 
was  removed  in  1762  to  Oxford,  where  he 
was  matriculated  as  a  gentleman  commoner 
of  Magdalen  College  in  his  fifteenth  year. 
Though  his  frequent  absence  from  school 
had  prevented  him  from  obtaining  much 
knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek,  his  love  of 
reading  had  led  him  to  peruse  many  his- 
torical and  geographical  works ;  and  he  ar- 
rived at  Oxford,  according  to  his  own  ac- 
count, "  with  a  stock  of  erudition  that  might 
have  puzzled  a  doctor,  and  a  degree  of  igno- 
rance of  which  a  school-boy  would  have  been 
ashamed."  His  imperfect  education  was 
not  improved  during  his  residence  at  Ox- 
ford ;  his  tutors  he  describes  as  easy  men, 
who  preferred  receiving  the  fees  to  attend- 
ing to  the  instruction  of  their  pupils ;  and 
after  leading  a  somewhat  dissipated  life 
for  fourteen  months,  he  was  compelled  to 
leave  Oxford  in  consequence  of  having  em- 
braced the  Roman  Catholic  faith.  His 
conversion  was  effected  by  the  perusal  of 


ri  Editor^s  Preface, 

Pr.  Middleton's  'Free  Inquiry  into  the  Mi- 
raculous Powers  possessed  by  the  Church 
in  the  Early  Ages,'  in  which  he  attempts  to 
show  that  all  the  leading  doctrines  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  are  supported  by 
the  miracles  of  the  early  fathers,  and  that 
therefore  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  ot 
Rome  must  be  true,  or  the  miracles  false. 
Gibbon's  early  education  had  taught  him  to 
revere  the  authority'of  these  fathers ;  he  was 
induced  to  read  some  works,  especially  '  Bos- 
suet's  Variations,'  in  favor  of  the  Roman 
faith;  and  in  1763,  he,  "  solemnly,  though 
privately,  abjured  the  errors  of  heresy." 
With  the  object  of  reclaiming  him  to  Prot- 
estanism,  his  father  sent  him  to  Lausanne 
in  Switzerland,  to  reside  with  M.  Pavillard, 
a  Calvinist  minister.  The  arguments  of 
Pavillard  and  his  own  studies  had  the  effect 
which  his  father  desired ;  in  the  following  year 
ke  professed  his  belief  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
Protestant  Church,  and  according  to  his  own 
gtatement,  "  suspended  his  religious  inquiries, 
acquiescing  with  implicit  belief  in  the  tenets 


JEJditor^s  Preface.  vn 

and  mysteries  which  are  adopted  by  the  gen- 
eral consent  of  Catholics  and  Protestants.' 
He  remained  in  Switzerland  for  five  years, 
during  which  time  he  paid  great  attention  to 
study,  and  assiduously  endeavored  to  remedy » 
the  defects  of  his  early  education. 

During  his  residence  at  Lausanne,  he  had 
become  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  French 
language,  in  which  he  composed  his  first 
work,  entitled  '  Essai  sur  I'Etude  de  la  Lit- 
terature,'  which  was  published  in  1761.  "  It 
was  received  with  more  favor  on  the  Conti- 
nent, than  in  England,  where  it  was  little 
read,  and  speedily  forgotten."  His  studies 
after  his  return  to  England  were  much  in- 
terrupted by  attention  to  his  duties  in  the 
Hampshire  militia,  in  which  he  was  appointed 
captain,  and  the  knowledge  of  military  tac- 
tics, which  he  acquired  in  the  service,  was 
not,  to  use  his  own  words,  "  useless  to  the 
Mstorian  of  the  Roman  Empire."  During 
his  visit  to  Rome  in  1764,  "  as  he  sat  musing 
amids^t  the  ruins  of  the  Capitol,  while  the 
baxf  footed  friars  were  singing  vespers  in  the 


viii  JEditoT'^s  Preface 

Temple  of  Jupiter,  the  idea  of  writing  the 
decline   and  fall  of  the   city  first  started  to 
his  mind."      Many  years,  however,   elapsed 
before  he  began  the  composition  of  the  '  De- 
cline and  Fall.'     On  his  return  to  England, 
he  commenced  a  work  on  the  Revolutions  of 
Florence  and  Switzerland ;  and  in  conjunc- 
tion with  a  Swiss  friend  of  the  name  of  Dey- 
verdun,  published  in  1767   and  1768,   two 
volumes  of  a  work  entitled  '  Memoires  Lit- 
teraries  de  la  grande  Bretagne.'     His  next 
work,  which  appeared  in   1770,  was  a  '  Re- 
ply to    Bishop  Warburton's   Interpretation 
of  the  Sixth  Book  of  the  ^neid.'     In  1774 
he  was  returned  to  parliament  by  the  interest 
of  Lord  Eliot  for  the  borough  of  Liskeard 
and  ft)r  eight  sessions  he  steadily  supported 
by  his  vote,  though  he  never  spoke,  the  min 
istry  of  Lord   North,  for  which  he  was  re 
warded  by  being  made  one   of  the  commis 
sioners  of  trade  and  plantations,  with  a  sal 
ary  of  £800  a  year.     In  the  next  parlia 
ment  he  sat  for  the  borough  of  Lymington 
yni  resigned  his  seat  on  the  dissolution  of 


JEJditor''s  Preface,  vs. 

Lord  North's  ministry,  when  he  lost  "  hia 
convenient  salary,  after  having  enjoyed  it 
about  three  years."  During  the  time  in 
which  he  was  a  member  of  parliament,  he 
published  in  the  French  language,  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  ministry,  a  pamphlet  entitled 
*  Memoire  Justificatif,'  in  reply  to  the  French 
manifesto,  and  in  vindication  of  the  justice 
of  the  British  arms.  In  1776,  the  first  vol- 
ume of  the  '  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman 
Empire  '  appeared  in  4to.,  and  was  received 
by  the  public  in  the  most  favorable  manner  : 
the  first  impression  was  exhausted  in  a  few 
days ;  a  second  and  third  edition  were 
scarcely  adequate  to  the  demand."  The 
second  and  third  volumes,  which  terminated 
the  history  of  the  fall  of  the  Western  Em- 
pire, were  published  in  1731. 

In  1783  he  left  England,  and  retired  to 
Lausanne,  to  reside  permanently  with  hia 
friend  M.  Deyverdun.  From  this  time  to 
1787  he  was  engaged  in  the  composition  of 
the  last  three  volumes  of  his  great  work 
-vhich  appeared  in  1788.     He  spent  some 


Editor^s  Preface. 


time  that  year  in  England  to  superintend 
the  publication,  and  again  returned  to  Lau- 
sanne, where  he  remained  till  1793,  when 
the  death  of  Lady  Sheffield  recalled  him  to 
his  native  country  to  console  his  friend. 
He  died  in  London  on  the  16th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1794. 

The  '  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire '  comprises  the  history  of  the  world 
for  nearly  thirteen  centuries,  from  the  reign 
of  the  Antonines  to  the  taking  of  Constan- 
tinople by  the  Turks.  It  was  a  great  ac- 
cession to  literature;  Niebuhr  indeed  pro- 
nounced it  "  a  work  never  to  be  excelled." 
It  connects  ancient  and  modern  history,  and 
contains  information  on  many  subjects  which 
historians  generally  neglect,  and  sometimes 
unsuccessfully  attempt.  In  the  most  con- 
venient edition  of  the  '  Decline  and  Fall,' 
that  edited  by  Dr.  William  Smith,  8  vols. 
6vo.,  1854-55,  are  embodied  the  more  im- 
portant notes  of  Guizot,  the  equally  valuable 
ones  of  Wenck,  the  Grerman  translator,  with 
^hose  by  Dean  Milman,  intended  to  correct 


Editor'^s  Preface, 


the  ecclesiastical  bias  of  the  historian,  and 
a  judicious  selection  from  the  comments  of 
other  authorities,  while  the  references  are 
throughout  verified.  His  *  Miscellaneous 
"Works,  with  Memoirs  of  his  life  and  writings 
composed  by  himself,'  were  published  by 
Lord  Sheffield  in  2  vols.  4to.,  1796  ;  to  which 
a  third  volume  was  added  in  1815.  The 
'  Miscellaneous  Works '  were  reprinted  in 
the  same  year  in  5  vols.  8vo.  This  collection 
contains  a  republication  of  some  of  the  works 
which  have  been  alresdy  mentioned ;  and  in 
addition  to  these,  a  large  '  Collection  of 
Letters  written  by  or  to  Mr.  G-ibbon ;  '  Ab- 
stracts of  the  Books  he  read,  with  Reflec- 
tions ; '  Extracts  from  his  Journal ; '  ^  Out- 
lines of  the  History  of  the  World ; '  '  A 
Dissertation  on  the  Subject  of  L' Homme  au 
Masque  de  Fer ;  '  '  Antiquities  of  the  House 
of  Brunswick  ;  '  Memoire  sur  la  Monarchie 
des  Modes ;  '  '  Nomina  Gentesque  Antiquae 
Italiae;'  'Remarks  on  Blackstone's  Com- 
mentaries ;  '  '  On  the  Position  of  the  Merid- 
ional Line,  and  the  supposed  Circumnavi- 


xii  Editor'' s  Preface, 

gation  of  Africa  by  the  Ancients,'  and  other 
pieces  of  less  importance. 

A  splendid  and  reliable  Life  of  the  foun- 
der of  a  religion,  that  strove  many  centuries 
with  Christianity  for  the  mastery  of  the 
world,  that  failed  because  every  thing  human 
fails  in  a  conflict  with  the  divine,  must  be  a 
welcome  book.  To  the  thoughtful,  whether 
young  or  old,  who  are  striving  to  look  be- 
neath the  surface  in  the  complicated  history 
of  the  world,  we  heartily  recommend  it. 
0.  W.  Wight. 

March,  1859. 


LIFE  OF  MAHOMET. 


The  genius  of  tlie  Arabian  prophet,  the 
manners  of  his  nation,  and  the  spirit  of 
his  religion,  involve  the  causes  of  the 
decline  and  fall  of  the  Eastern  empire ; 
and  oul-  eyes  are  curiously  intent  on 
one  of  the  most  memorable  revolutions, 
which  have  impressed  a  new  and  lasting 
character  on  the  nations  of  the  globe.* 

»  The  best  works  on  the  ancient  geography  and  ante- 
Mahometan  history  of  Arabia  are  'The  Historical  Geography 
of  Arabia,'  by  the  Eev.  Charles  Forster,  2  vols.  8vo.,  London, 
1844,  and  'Essai  sur  THistoire  des  Arabes  avant  I'lslamisme, 
pendant  Tepoque  de  Mahomet,  et  jusqu'a  la  reduction  de 
toutes  les  tribus  sous  la  loi  Musulmane,'  by  A.  P.  Caussin  de 
Perceval,  Professeur  d'Arabe  au  College  Boyal  de  France,  3 
fols.  Bvo.,  Paris,  1847-1848.  Of  the  latter  work  there  is  an 
able  account  in  the  Calcutta  Review,  No.  xli.— S. — Of  modem 
travellers  may  be  mentioned  the  adventurer  who  called  him- 
Belf  Ali  Bey ;  but,  above  all,  the  intelligent,  the  enterprising 
^e  accurate  Burckhardt. — M. 


10  Life  of  Mahomet . 

In  the  vacant  space  between  Persia, 
Syria,  Egypt,  and  ^tliiopia,the  Arabian 
peninsula  may  be  conceived  as  a  trian- 
gle of  spacious  but  irregular  dimensions. 
From  the  northern  point  of  Beles*  on 
the  Euphrates,  a  line  of  fifteen  hundred 
miles  is  terminated  by  the  straits  of 
Babelmandel  and  the  land  of  frankin- 
cense. About  half  this  length  may  be 
allowed  for  the  middle  breadth,  from 
east  to  west,  from  Bassora  to  Suez,  from 
the  Persian  gulf  to  the  Red  sea.  The 
sides  of  the  triangle  are  gradually  en- 
larged, and  the  southern  basis  presents 
a  front  of  a  thousand  miles  to  the  In- 
dian ocean.  The  entire  surface  of  the 
peninsula  exceeds  in  a  fourfold  pro- 
portion that  of  Germany  or  France ; 
but  the  far  greater  part  has  been  justly 
stigmatized  with  the  epithets  of  the 
deny  and  the  sandy.     Even  the  wilds 

•  It  was  In  this  place,  the  paradise  or  garden  of  s  satrap 
that  Xenophon  and  the  Greeks  first  passed  the  Euphrates. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  11 

of  Tartary  are  decked,  by  the  hand  of 
nature,  with  lofty  trees  and  luxuriant 
herbage ;  and  the  lonesome  traveller 
derives  a  sort  of  comfort  and  society 
from  the  presence  of  vegetable  life. 
But  in  the  dreary  waste  of  Arabia,  a 
boundless  level  of  sand  is  intersected 
by  sharp  and  naked  mountains ;  and 
the  face  of  the  desert,  without  shade  or 
shelter,  is  scorched  by  the  direct  and 
intense  rays  of  the  tropical  sun.  Instead 
of  refreshing  breezes,  the  winds,  par- 
ticularly from  the  south-west,  diffuse  a 
noxious  and  even  deadly  vapor ;  the 
hillocks  of  sand  which  they  alternately 
raise  and  scatter,  are  compared  to  the 
billows  of  the  ocean,  and  whole  cara- 
vans, whole  armies,  have  been  lost  and 
buried  in  the  whirlwind.  The  common 
benefits  of  water  are  an  object  of  desire 
and  contest ;  and  such  is  the  scarcity  of 
«rood,  that  some  art  is  requisite  to  pre- 
Rerve  and  propagate  the  element  of  fire. 


12  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Arabia  is  destitute  of  navigable  rivers, 
which  fertilize  the  soil,  and  convey  its 
produce  to  the  adjacent  regions ;  the 
torrents  that  fall  from  the  hills  are  im- 
bibed by  the  thirsty  earth  :  the  rare  and 
hardy  plantSjthe  tamarind  or  the  acacia, 
that  strike  their  roots  into  the  clefts  of 
the  rocks,  are  nourished  by  the  dews  of 
nig'lit ;  a  scanty  supply  of  rain  is  col- 
lected in  cisterns  and  aqueducts ;  the 
wells  and  springs  are  the  secret  treasure 
of  the  desert ;  and  the  pilgrim  of  Mecca," 
after  many  a  dry  and  sultry  march,  is 
disgusted  by  the  taste  of  the  waters, 
which  have  rolled  over  a  bed  of  sulphur 
or  salt.  Such  is  the  general  and  genuine 
picture  of  the  climate  of  Arabia.  The 
experience  of  evil  enhances  the  value 
of  any  local  or  partial  enjoyments.  A 
shady  grove,  a  green  pasture,  a  stream 

•  In  the  thirty  days,  or  stations,  between  Cairo  and  Mecca, 
there  are  fifteen  destitute  of  good  water.  See  the  route  of  the 
"^adjees,  in  Shaw's  Travels,  p.  477. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  13 

of  fresh  water,  are  sufficient  to  attract  a 
colony  of  sedentary  Arabs  to  the  fortu- 
nate spots  which  can  afford  food  and  re- 
freshment to  themselves  and  their  cattle, 
and  which  encourage  their  industry  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  palm-tree  and  the 
vine.  The  high  lands  that  border  on  the 
Indian  ocean  are  distinguished  by  their 
superior  plenty  of  wood  and  water  ;  the 
air  is  more  temperate,  the  fruits  are 
more  delicious,  the  animals  and  the 
human  race  more  numerous  ;  the  fer- 
tility of  the  soil  invites  and  rewards 
the  toil  of  the  husbandman  ;  and  the 
peculiar  gifts  of  frankincense*  and  coffee 
have  attracted  in  different  ages  the 
merchants  of  the  world.  If  it  be  com- 
pared with  the  rest  of  the  peninsula, 

»  The  aromatics,  especially  the  thus  or  frankincense,  of 
^.rabia,  occupy  the  twelfth  book  of  Pliny.  Our  great  poet 
(Paradise  Lost,  1.  iv.)  introduces,  in  a  simile,  the  spicy  odors 
that  are  blown  by  the  north-east  wind  from  the  Sabaeau 
coast: 

Many  a  league, 

Pleased  with  the  grateful  scent,  old  Ocean  smiles. 


14  Life  of  Mahomet. 

this  sequ-estered  region  may  truly  de- 
serve the  appellation  of  the  hajpjpy ; 
and  the  splendid  coloring  of  fancy  and 
fiction  has  been  suggested  by  contrast, 
and  countenanced  by  distance.  It  was 
for  this  earthly  paradise  that  nature  had 
reserved  her  choicest  favors  and  her 
most  curious  workmanship  :  the  incom- 
patible blessings  of  luxury  and  inno- 
cence were  ascribed  to  the  natives  : 
the  soil  was  impregnated  with  gold* 
and  gems,  and  both  the  land  and  sea 
were  taught  to  exhale  the  odors  of 
aromatic  sweets.     This  division  of  the 

»  Agatharcides  affirms  that  lumps  of  pure  gold  were  found 
from  the  size  of  an  olive  to  that  of  a  nut ;  that  iron  was  twice, 
and  silver  ten  times,  the  value  of  gold,  (de  Mari  Rubro,  p. 
60.)  These  real  or  imaginary  treasures  are  vanished,  and  no 
gold  mines  are  at  present  known  in  Arabia.  (Niebuhr,  De- 
gcription,  p.  124.)  i 


>  A  brilliant  passage  in  the  geographical  poem  of  Diony- 
bius  Periegetes  embodies  the  notions  of  the  ancients  on  the 
wealth  and  fertility  of  Yemen.  Greek  mythology,  and  the 
traditions  of  the  "gorgeous  east,"  of  India  as  w£ll  as  Arabia, 
tre  mingled  together  in  indiscriminate  splendor.  Compare 
on  the  southern  coast  of  Arabia  the  recent  travels  of  Lieut 
Tellsted.— M, 


Life  of  Mahomet  15 

mndy^  the  stony^  and  the  happy,  so 
familiar  to  the  Greeks  and  Latins,  is 
unknown  to  the  Arabians  themselves  : 
and  it  is  singular  enough,that  a  country, 
whose  language  and  inhabitants  have 
ever  been  the  same,  should  scarcely  re- 
tain a  vestige  of  its  ancient  geography. 
The  maritime  districts  of  Bahrein  and 
Oman  are  opposite  to  the  realm  of 
Persia.  The  kingdom  of  Yemen  dis- 
plays the  limits,  or  at  least  the  situa- 
tion, of  Arabia  Fselix :  the  name  of 
Neged  is  extended  over  the  inland  space : 
and  the  birth  of  Mahomet  has  illustrat- 
ed the  province  oi  Hejaz^  along  the  coast 
of  the  Red  sea. 

The  measure  of  the  population  is  re- 
gulated by  the  means  of  subsistence ; 

*  Hejaz  means  the  "barrier"  or  "frontier,"  as  lying  be- 
♦•araen  the  southern  and  northern  merchants,  or,  in  other 
words,  between  Arabia  Felix  and  Arabia  Petraea.  It  is  a 
mountainous  district,  and  includes  Medina  as  well  as  Mecca. 
It  occupies  the  space  between  Meged  (Najd)  and  the  Ked 
6ea.  Sprenger,  Life  of  Mohammed,  p.  14;  C.  de  Perceval, 
tfssai,  &c.,  vol.  i.  p.  3.— S. 


le  Life  of  Mahomet. 

and  tlie  inhabitants  of  this  vast  peii« 
insula  might  be  outnumbered  by  the 
subjects  of  a  fertile  and  industrious 
province.  Along  the  shores  of  the  Per- 
sian gulf,  of  the  ocean,  and  even  of  the 
Red  sea,  the  Icthyophagi.,  or  fish-eaters, 
continued  to  wander  in  quest  of  their 
precarious  food.  In  this  primitive  and 
abject  state,  which  ill  deserves  the  name 
of  society,  the  human  brute,  without 
arts  or  laws,  almost  without  sense  or 
language,  is  poorly  distinguished  from 
the  rest  of  the  animal  creation.  Gene 
rations  and  ages  might  roll  away  in 
silent  oblivion,  and  the  helpless  savage 
was  restrained  from  multiplying  his 
race,  by  the  wants  and  pursuits  which 
confined  his  existence  to  the  narrow 
margin  of  the  sea-coast.  But  in  an 
early  period  of  antiquity  the  great  body 
of  the  Arabs  had  emerged  from  this 
scene  of  misery  ;  and  as  the  naked  wil- 
derness could   not   maintain  a  people 


I'^f^  of  Mahomet.  17 

of  hunters,  they  rose  at  once  to  the 
more  secure  and  plentiful  condition  of 
the  pastoral  life.  The  same  life  is  uni- 
formly pursued  by  the  roving  tribes  of 
the  desert ;  and  in  the  portrait  of  the 
modern  Bedoweens^  we  may  trace  the 
features  of  their  ancestors,  who,  in  the 
age  of  Moses  or  Mahomet,  dwelt  under 
similar  tents,and  conducted  their  horses, 
and  camels,  and  sheep,  to  the  same 
springs  and  the  same  pastures.  Our 
toil  is  lessened,  and  our  wealth  is  in- 
creased, by  our  dominion  over  the  use- 
ful animals  ;  and  the  Arabian  shepherd 
had  acquired  the  absolute  possession  of 
a  faithful  friend  and  laborious  slave.* 
Arabia,  in  the  opinion  of  the  naturalist, 
is  the  genuine  and  original  country  of 
the  horse  y  the  climate  most  propitious, 
not  indeed  to  the  size,  but  to  the  spirit 


»  Eead  (it  is  no  unpleasant  task)  the  incomparable  articles 
of  Ma.e  Horse  and  the  Camel,  in  the  Natural  History  of  M.  de 
Buffon. 


18  Life  of  Mahomet. 

and  swiftness,  of  that  generous  animal. 
The  merit  of  the  Barb,  the  Spanish,  and 
the  English  breed,  is  derived  from  a 
mixture  of  Arabian  blood :  the  Bedo- 
weens  preserve,  with  superstitious  care, 
the  honors  and  the  memory  of  the 
purest  race :  the  males  are  sold  at  a 
high  price,  but  the  females  are  seldom 
alienated  ;  and  the  birth  of  a  noble 
foal  was  esteemed,  among  the  tribes,  as 
a  subject  of  joy  and  mutual  congratu- 
lation. These  horses  are  educated  in 
the  tents,  among  the  children  of  the 
Arabs,  with  a  tender  familiarity,  which 
trains  them  in  the  habits  of  gentleness 
and  attachment.  They  are  accustomed 
only  to  walk  and  to  gallop  :  their  sen 
sations  are  not  blunted  by  the  inces 
Bant  abuse  of  the  spur  and  the  whip 
their  powers  are  reserved  for  the  mo 
ments  of  flight  and  pursuit ;  but  no 
sooner  do  they  feel  the  touch  of  the 
huid   or   the   stirrup,  thaji   they   dar* 


I^^f^  of  Mahomet.  19 

fcway  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind ; 
and  if  their  friend  be  dismounted  in 
the  rapid  career,  they  instantly  stop  till 
he  has  recovered  his  seat.  In  the 
sands  of  Africa  and  Arabia,  the  camel 
.s  a  sacred  and  precious  gift.  That 
Btrong  and  patient  beast  of  burthen  can 
perform,  without  eating  or  drinking,  a 
journey  of  several  days ;  and  a  reser- 
voir of  fresh  water  is  preserved  in  a 
large  bag,  a  fifth  stomach  of  the  animal, 
whose  body  is  imprinted  with  the 
marks  of  servitude :  the  larger  breed  is 
capable  of  transporting  a  weight  of  a 
thousand  pounds  ;  and  the  dromedary, 
of  a  lighter  and  more  active  frame,  out- 
strips the  fleetest  courser  in  the  race. 
Alive  or  dead,  almost  every  part  of 
the  camel  is  serviceable  to  man :  her 
milk  is  plentiful  and  nutritious :  the 
young  and  tender  flesh  has  the  taste 
:>f  veal :  a  valuable  salt  is  extract- 
ed from  the  urine  ;  the  dung  supplies 


20  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  deficiency  of  fuel ;  and  the  long 
hair,  which  falls  each  year  and  is  re- 
newed, is  coarsely  manufactured  into 
the  garments,  the  furniture,  and  the 
tents  of  the  Bedoweens.  In  the  rainy 
seasons  they  consume  the  rare  and  in- 
sufficient herbage  of  the  desert :  during 
the  heats  of  summer  and  the  scarcity  of 
winter,  they  remove  their  encamp- 
ments, to  the  sea-coast,  the  hills  of 
Yemen,  or  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Euphrates,  and  have  often  extorted  the 
dangerous  licence  of  visiting  the  banks 
of  the  l^ile,  and  the  villages  of  Syria 
and  Palestine.  The  life  of  a  wandering 
Arab  is  a  life  of  danger  and  distress  ; 
and  though  sometimes,  by  rapine  or 
exchange,  he  ma}^  appropriate  the  fruits 
of  industry,  a  private  citizen  of  Europe 
is  in  possession  of  more  solid  and  pleas- 
ing luxury  than  the  proudest  emir,  who 
marches  in  the  field  at  the  head  of  ter: 
^^housand  horse. 


Life  of  Mahomet .  21 

Yet  an  essential  difference  may  be 
found  between  the  hordes  of  Scythia 
and  the  Arabian  tribes ;  since  many  of 
the  latter  were  collected  into  towns, 
and  employed  in  the  labors  of  trade 
and  agriculture.  A  part  of  their  time 
and  industry  was  still  devoted  to  the 
management  of  their  cattle  :  they  min- 
gled, in  peace  and  war,  with  their 
brethren  of  the  desert ;  and  the  Bedo- 
weens  derived  from  their  useful  inter- 
course, some  supply  of  their  wants,  and 
some  rudiments  of  art  and  knowledge. 
Among  the  forty-two  cities  of  Arabia, 
enumerated  by  Abulfeda,  the  most 
ancient  and  populous  were  situate  in 
the  hajpjpy  Yemen :  the  towers  of 
Saana,  and  the  marvellous  reservoir  of 
Merab,^  were  constructed  by  the  kings 
of  the  Homerites ;  but   their   profane 

*  The  town  never  recovered  the  inundation  which  took 
olsce  from  the  bursting  of  a  large  reservoir  of  water — an 
*vent  of  great  importance  in  the  Arabian  annals,  and  dis- 
eussed  at  considerable  length  by  modern  'Orientalists.— M. 


22  Life  of  Mahomet, 

lustre  was  eclipsed  by  the  prophetic 
glories  of  Medina,  and  Mecca/  near  the 
Red  sea,  and  at  the  distance  from  each 
other  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  miles. 
The  last  of  these  holy  places  was  known 
to  the  Greeks  under  the  name  of  Ma 
coraba ;  and  the  termination  of  the 
word  is  expressive  of  its  greatness, 
which  has  not  indeed,  in  the  most 
flourishing  period,  exceeded  the  size  and 
populousness  of  Marseilles.'  Some  latent 
motive,  perhaps  of  superstition,  must 
have  impelled  the  founders,  in  the 
choice  of  a  most  unpromising  situation. 

*  Even  in  the  time  of  Gibbon,  Mecca  had  not  been  so  in- 
accessible to  Europeans.  It  had  been  visited  by  Ludovico 
Barthema,  and  by  one  Joseph  Pitts  of  Exeter,  who  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Moors,  and  forcibly  converted  to  Mahomet 
anism.  His  volume  is  a  curious  though  plain  account  of  hia 
sufferings  and  travels.  Since  that  time  Mecca  has  been  en- 
tered, and  the  ceremonies  witnessed,  by  Dr.  Seetzen,  whose 
papers  were  unfortunately  lost ;  by  the  Spaniard  who  called 
Himself  Ali  Bey;  and  lastly,  by  Burckhardt,  whose  descrip- 
tion leaves  nothing  wanting  to  satisfy  the  curiosity.— M. 

2  Mr.  Forster  identifies  the  Greek  name  with  the  Arabi* 
Mechardb^  "the  warlike  city,"  or  "the  city  of  the  Harb." 
Geogr.  of  Arabia,  vol.  i.  p.  265. — S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  23 

They  erected  their  habitations  of  mua 
or  stone,  in  a  plain  about  two  miles  long 
and  one  mile  broad,  at  the  foot  of  three 
barren  mountains  :  the  soil  is  a  rock  ; 
the  water  even  of  the  holy  well  of  Zem 
zem  is  bitter  or  brackish  ;^  the  pastures 
are  remote  from  the  city ;  and  grapes 
are  transported  above  seventy  miles 
from  the  gardens  of  Tayef.  The  fame 
and  spirit  of  the  Koreishites,  who 
reigned  in  Mecca,  were  conspicuous 
among  the  Arabian  tribes ;  but  their 
ungrateful  soil  refused  the  labors  of 
agriculture,  and  their  position  was 
favorable  to  the  enterprises  of  trade. 
By  the  sea-port  of  Gedda,  at  the  dis- 
tance only  of  forty  miles,  they  maintain- 

»  Burckhardt,  however,  observes : — "  The  water  is  heavy 
n  its  taste,  and  sometimes  in  its  color  resembles  milk,  but  it 
5*  perfectly  sweet,  and  differs  very  much  from  that  of  the 
orackish  wells  dispersed  over  the  town."  (Travels  in  Arabia, 
p.  144.)  Elsewhere  he  says : — "  It  seems  probable  that  the 
town  of  Mecca  owed  its  origin  to  this  well ;  for  many  miles 
"•ound  no  sweet  water  is  found,  nor  is  there  in  any  part  of  th« 
•ountry  so  copious  a  supply."    (Ibid,  p.  145). — S. 


24  ^tfe  of  Mahomet. 

ed  an  easy  correspondence  with  Abys- 
sinia; and  that  Christian  kingdom  af 
forded  the  first  refuge  to  the  disciples 
of  Mahomet.  The  treasures  of  Africa 
were  conveyed  over  the  peninsula  of 
Gerrha  or  Katif,  in  the  province  of 
Bahrein,  a  city  built,  as  it  is  said,  of 
rock-salt,  by  the  Chaldean  exiles  ;  and 
from  thence,  with  the  native  pearls  of 
the  Persian  gulf,  they  were  floated  on 
rafts  to  the  mouth  of  the  Euphrates. 
Mecca  is  placed  almost  at  an  equal  dis- 
tance, a  month's  journey,  between  Ye- 
men on  the  right,  and  Syria  on  the  left 
hand.  The  former  was  the  winter,  the 
latter  the  summer,  station  of  her  cara- 
vans ;  and  their  seasonable  arrival  re- 
lieved the  ships  of  India  from  the  tedious 
and  troublesome  navigation  of  the  Red 
sea.  In  the  markets  of  Saana  and  Me- 
rab,  in  the  harbors  of  Oman  and  Aden, 
the  camels  of  the  Koreishites  were  laden 
with  a  precious  cargo  of  aromatics ;  a 


^^f^  of  Mahomet.  25 

Biipply  of  corn  and  manufactures  was 
purchased  in  the  fairs  of  Bostra  and 
Damascus  ;  the  lucrative  exchange  dif- 
fused plenty  and  riches  in  the  streets 
of  Mecca  ;  and  the  noblest  of  her  sons 
united  the  love  of  arras  with  the  pro- 
fession of  merchandise. 

The  perpetual  independence  of  the 
Arabs  has  been  the  theme  of  praise 
among  strangers  and  natives  ;  and  the 
arts  of  controversy  transform  this  sin- 
gular event  into  a  prophecy  and  a  mira- 
cle, in  favor  of  the  posterity  of  Ismael. 
Some  exceptions,  that  can  neither  be 
dissembled  nor  eluded,  render  this  mode 
of  reasoning  as  indiscreet  as  it  is  super- 
fluous ;  the  kingdom  of  Yemen  has  been 
successively  subdued  by  the  Abyssin- 
lans,  the  Persians,  the  sultans  of  Egypt, 
and  the  Turks  :  the  holy  cities  of  Mecca 
and  Medina  have  repeatedly  bowed 
under  a  Scythian  tyrant ;  and  the  Ro- 
man province  of  Arabia  embraced  the 


26  Life  of  Mahomet. 

peculiar  wilderness  in  which  Ismael  and 
his  sons  must  have  pitched  their  tents 
in  the  face  of  their  brethren.  Yet  these 
exceptions  are  temporary  or  local ;  the 
body  of  the  nation  has  escaped  the  yoke 
of  the  most  powerful  monarchies  :  the 
arms  of  Sesostris  and  Cyrus,  of  Pom- 
pey  and  Trajan,  could  never  achieve 
the  conquest  of  Arabia ;  the  present 
sovereign  of  the  Turks*  may  exercise  a 
shadow  of  jurisdiction,  but  his  pride  is 
reduced  to  solicit  the  friendship  of  a 
people,  whom  it  is  dangerous  to  pro- 
voke, and  fruitless  to  attack.  The  ob- 
vious causes  of  their  freedom  are  in- 
scribed on  the  character  and  country 
of  the  Arabs.  Many  ages  before  Ma- 
homet, their   intrepid  valor  had  been 

»  Niebuhr  (Description  de  rArabie,  p.  302,  303,  329—331) 
affords  the  most  recent  and  authentic  intelligence  of  the 
Turkish  empire  in  Arabia.  ^ 

^  Niebuhr's,  notwithstanding  the  multitude  of  later  trav 
«'ilers,  maintains  its  ground  as  the  classical  work  on  Arabia 
— M. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  27 

eeverlj  felt  by  their  neighbors  in  of- 
fensive and  defensive  war.  The  pa- 
tient and  active  virtues  of  a  soldier  are 
insensibly  nursed  in  the  habits  and  dis- 
cipline of  a  pastoral  life.  The  care  of 
the  sheep  and  camels  is  abandoned  to 
the  women  of  the  tribe  ;  but  the  mar- 
tial youth,  under  the  banner  of  the 
emir,  is  ever  on  horseback,  and  in  the 
field,  to  practise  the  exercise  of  the  bow, 
the  javelin,  and  the  scymitar.  The 
long  memory  of  their  independence  is 
the  firmest  pledge  of  its  perpetuity,  and 
succeeding  generations  are  animated  to 
prove  their  descent,  and  to  maintain 
their  inheritance.  Their  domestic  feuds 
are  suspended  on  the  approach  of  a 
common  enemy  ;  and  in  their  last  hos- 
tilities against  the  Turks,  the  caravan 
of  Mecca  was  attacked  and  pillaged  by 
fourscore  thousand  of  the  confederates. 
When  they  advance  to  battle,  the  hope 
of  victory  is  in  the  front ;  in  the  rear. 


28  Life  of  Mahomet. 

the  assurance  of  a  retreat.  Their  horses 
and  camels,  who  in  eight  or  ten  days 
can  perform  a  march  of  four  or  five 
hundred  miles,  disappear  before  the 
conqueror  ;  the  secret  waters  of  the 
desert  elude  his  search ;  and  his  victo- 
rious troops  are  consumed  with  thirst, 
hunger,  and  fatigue,  in  the  pursuit  of 
an  invisible  foe,  who  scorns  his  efforts, 
and  safely  reposes  in  the  heart  of  the 
burning  solitude.  The  nrms  and  deserts 
of  the  Bedoweens  are  not  only  the  safe- 
guards of  their  own  freedom,  but  the 
barriers  also  of  the  Happy  Arabia, 
whose  inhabitants,  remote  from  war, 
are  enervated  by  the  luxury  of  the  soil 
and  climate.  The  legions  of  Augus- 
tus melted  away  in  disease  and  lassi- 
tude ;  and  it  is  only  by  a  naval  jjower 
that  the  redaction  of  Yemen  has  been 
successfully  attempted.  When  Ma- 
homet erected  his  holy  standard,  that 
kingdom  was  a  province  of  the  Persiac 


Life  of  Mahomet.  29 

empire ;  yet  seven  princes  of  the  Ho- 
merites  still  reigned  in  the  mountains ; 
and  the  vicegerent  of  Chosroes  was 
tempted  to  forget  his  distant  country 
and  his  unfortunate  master.  The  his- 
torians of  the  age  of  Justinian  repre- 
sent the  state  of  the  independent  Arabs, 
who  were  divided  by  interest  or  affec- 
tion in  the  long  quarrel  of  the  east :  the 
tribe  of  Gassan  was  allowed  to  encamp 
on  the  Syrian  territory  :  the  princes  of 
Hira  w^ere  permitted  to  form  a  city 
about  forty  miles  to  the  southward  of 
the  ruins  of  Babylon.  Their  service  in 
the  field  was  speedy  and  vigorous  ;  but 
their  friendship  was  venal,  their  faith 
inconstant,  their  enmity  capricious  :  it 
was  an  easier  task  to  excite  than  to  dis- 
arm these  roving  barbarians  ;  and,  in 
tlie  familiar  intercourse  of  war,  they 
learned  to  see,and  to  despise,the  splendid 
weakness  both  of  Rome  and  of  Persia. 
From    Mecca    to   the   Euphrates,   the 


80  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Arabian  tribes  were  confounded  by  the 
Greeks  and  Latins,  under  the  general 
appellation  of  Sakacens,  a  name  which 
every  Christian  mouth  has  been  taught 
to  pronounce  with  terror  and  abhor- 
rence. 

The  slaves  of  domestic  tyranny  may 
vainly  exult  in  their  national  indepen 
dence :  but  the  Arab  is  personally 
free;  and  he  enjoys,  in  some  degree, 
the  benefits  of  society,  without  forfeit- 
ing the  prerogatives  of  nature.  In 
every  tribe,  superstition,  or  gratitude, 
or  fortune,  has  exalted  a  particular 
family  above  the  heads  of  their  equals. 
The  dignities  of  sheick  and  emir  invari- 
ably descend  in  this  chosen  race ;  but  the 
order  of  succession  is  loose  and  precari- 
ous, and  the  most  worthy  or  aged  of  the 
noble  kinsmen  are  preferred  to  the  sim- 
ple, though  important,  office  of  compos- 
ing disputes  by  their  advice,  and  guiding 
valor  by  their  example.      Even  a  fe- 


^^f^  of  Mahomet.  31 

male  of  sense  and  spirit  has  been  per- 
mitted to  command  the  countrymen  of 
Zenobia.  The  momentary  junction  of 
Beveral  tribes  produces  an  army  ;  their 
more  lasting  union  constitutes  a  na- 
tion ;  and  the  supreme  chief,  the  emir 
of  emirs,  whose  banner  is  displayed  at 
their  head,  may  deserve,  in  the  eyes  of 
6trangers,the  honors  of  the  kingly  name. 
If  the  Arabian  princes  abuse  their 
power,  they  are  quickly  punished  by 
the  desertion  of  their  subjects,  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  a  mild  and  parental 
jurisdiction.  Their  spirit  is  free,  their 
steps  are  unconfined,  the  desert  is  open, 
and  the  tribes  and  families  are  held  to- 
gether by  a  mutual  and  voluntary  com- 
pact. The  softer  natives  of  Yemen 
supported  the  pomp  and  majesty  of  a 
monarch  ;  but  if  he  could  not  leave  his 
palace  without  endangering  his  life,  the 
ftctive  powers  of  government  must  havfe 
eeen  devolved  on  his  nobles  and  mag- 


32  Life  of  Mahomet. 

istrates.  The  cities  of  Mecca  and 
Medina  present,  in  the  heart  of  Asia, 
the  form,  or  rather  the  substance,  of  a 
commonwealth.  The  grandfather  of 
Mahomet,  and  his  lineal  ancestors,  ap 
pear,  in  foreign  and  domestic  transac- 
tions as  the  princes  of  their  country  ; 
but  thej  reigned,  like  Pericles  at 
Athens,  or  the  Medici  at  Florence,  by 
the  opinion  of  their  wisdom  and  integ- 
rity ;  their  influence  was  divided  with 
their  patrimony  ;  and  the  sceptre  was 
transferred  from  the  uncles  of  the 
prophet  to  a  younger  branch  of  the 
tribe  of  Koreish.  On  solemn  occasions 
they  convened  the  assembly  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  since  mankind  must  be  either 
compelled  or  persuaded  to  obey,  the 
use  and  reputation  of  oratory  among 
the  ancient  Arabs  is  the  clearest  evi- 
dence of  public  freedom.  But  their 
simple  freedom  was  of  a  very  different 
oast  from  the  nice  and  artificial  machi- 


Life  of  Mahomet.  33 

:iery  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  republics, 
in  wliich  each  member  possessed  an  un- 
divided share  of  the  civil  and  political 
rights  of  the  community.  In  the  more 
simple  state  of  the  Arabs,  the  nation  is 
free,  because  each  of  her  sons  disdains  a 
base  submission  to  the  will  of  a  master. 
His  breast  is  fortified  with  the  austere 
virtues  of  courage,  patience,  and  sobri- 
ety ;  the  love  of  independence  prompts 
him  to  exercise  the  habits  of  self-com- 
mand ;  and  the  fear  of  dishonor  guards 
him  from  the  meaner  apprehension  of 
pain,  of  danger,  and  of  death.  The 
gravity  and  firmness  of  the  mind  is 
conspicuous  in  his  outward  demeanor  ; 
his  speech  is  slow,  weighty,  and  con 
cise  ;  he  is  seldom  provoked  to  laughter  ; 
his  only  gesture  is  that  of  stroking  his 
beard,  the  venerable  symbol  of  man- 
hood ;  and  the  sense  of  his  own  impor 
tance  teaches  him  to  accost  his  equals 
ivithout  levity,  and  his  superiors  with- 
3 


34  I^^f^  of  Mahomet. 

out  awe/  The  liberty  of  the  Saracens 
survived  their  conquests :  the  first 
galiphs  indulged  the  bold  and  familiar 
language  of  their  subjects ;  they  as- 
cended the  pulpit  to  persuade  and  edify 
the  congregation  ;  nor  was  it  before  the 
seat  of  empire  was  removed  to  the 
Tigris,  that  the  Abbassides  adopted  the 
proud  and  pompous  ceremonial  of  the 
Persian  and  Byzantine  courts. 

In  the  study  of  nations  and  men,  we 
may  observe  the  causes  that  render 
them  hostile  or  friendly  to  each  other, 
that  tend  to  narrow  or  enlarge,  to  mol- 
lify or  exasperate,  the  social  character. 
The  separation  of  the  Arabs  from  the 
rest  of  mankind,  has  accustomed  them 
to  confound  the  ideas  of  stranger  and 
enemy  ;  and  the  poverty  of  the  land 
has  introduced  a  maxim  of  jurispru 
dence,  which  they  believe  and  practise 

»  See  the  curious  romance  of  Antar,  the  most  vivid  an . 
mthentic  picture  of  Arabian  manners. — M. 


■^V""^  ^f  Mahomet.  S5 

to  tli«  present  hour.  They  pretend, 
that  in  the  division  of  the  earth,  the 
rich  and  fertile  climates  were  assigned 
to  the  other  branches  of  the  human 
family ;  and  that  the  posterity  of  the 
outlaw  Ismael  might  recover,  by  fraud 
or  force,  the  portion  of  the  inheritance 
of  which  he  had  been  unjustly  deprived. 
According  to  the  remark  of  Pliny,  the 
Arabian  tribes  are  equally  addicted  to 
theft  and  merchandise  :  the  caravans 
that  traverse  the  desert  are  ransomed 
or  pillaged  ;  and  their  neighbors,  since 
the  remote  times  of  Job  and  Sesostris, 
have  been  the  victims  of  their  rapa- 
cious spirit.  If  a  Bedoween  discovers 
from  afar  a  solitary  traveller,  he  rides 
furiously  against  him,  crying,  with  a 
loud  voice,  ''  Undress  thyself,  thy  aunt 
{my  wife)  is  without  a  garment."  A 
ready  submission  entitles  him  to  mercy  ; 
resistance  will  provoke  the  aggressor, 
and  his  own  blood  must  expiate  the 


36  I^^f^  of  Mahomet. 

blood  which  he  presumes  to  shed  in 
legitimate  defence.  A  single  robber, 
or  a  few  associates,  are  branded  with 
their  genuine  name  ;  but  the  exploits 
of  a  numerous  band  assume  the  charac 
ter  of  lawful  and  honorable  war.  The 
temper  of  a  people,  thus  armed  against 
mankind,  was  doubly  inflamed  by  the 
domestic  license  of  rapine,  murder,  and 
revenge.  In  the  constitution  of  Europe, 
the  right  of  peace  and  war  is  now  con- 
fined to  a  small,  and  the  actual  exercise 
to  a  much  smaller,  list  of  respectable 
potentates  ;  but  each  Arab,  with  im- 
punity and  renown,  might  point  his 
javelin  against  the  life  of  his  country- 
man. The  union  of  the  nation  con- 
sisted only  in  a  vague  resemblance  of 
language  and  manners ;  and  in  each 
community,  the  jurisdiction  of  the  mag- 
istrate was  mute  and  impotent.  Of 
the  time  of  ignorance  which  preceded 
Mahomet,   seventeen   hundred   battles 


I^^f^  of  Mahomet.  37 

are  recorded  by  tradition  :  hostility  was 
embittered  with  the  rancor  of  civil  fac- 
tion ;  and  the  recital,  in  prose  or  verse, 
of  an  obsolete  feud,  was  sufficient  to  re- 
kindle the  same  passions  among  the  de- 
scendants of  the  hostile  tribes.  In  pri- 
vate life,  every  man,  at  least  every 
family,  was  the  judge  and  avenger  of 
its  own  cause.  The  nice  sensibility  of 
honor,  which  weighs  the  insult  rather 
than  the  injury,  sheds  its  deadly  venom 
on  the  quarrels  of  the  Arabs :  the  honor 
of  their  women,  and  of  their  heards,  is 
most  easily  wounded ;  an  indecent  ac- 
tion, a  contemptuous  word,  can  be  ex- 
piated only  by  the  blood  of  the  offender ; 
and  such  is  their  patient  inveteracy, 
that  they  expect  whole  months  and 
years  the  opportunity  of  revenge.  A 
Sne  or  compensation  for  murder  is 
familiar  to  the  barbarians  of  every  age  ; 
but  in  Arabia  the  kinsmen  of  the  dead 
are  at  liberty  to  accept  the  atonement, 


58  Life  of  Mahomet. 

or  to  exercise  with  their  own  hands  the 
iaw  of  retaliation.  The  refined  malice 
of  the  Arabs  refuses  even  the  head  of 
the  murderer,  substitutes  an  innocent 
to  the  guilty  person,  and  transfers  tlie 
penalty  to  the  best  and  most  considera- 
ble of  the  race  by  whom  they  have  been 
injured.  If  he  falls  by  their  hands, 
they  are  exposed  in  their  turn  to  the 
danger  of  reprisals  ;  the  interest  and 
principal  of  the  bloody  debt  are  accu- 
mulated ;  the  individuals  of  either  family 
lead  a  life  of  malice  and  suspicion,  and 
fifty  years  may  sometimes  elapse  before 
the  account  of  vengeance  be  finally 
settled.  This  sanguinary  spirit,  igno- 
rant of  pity  or  forgiveness,  has  been 
moderated,  however,  by  the  maxims  of 
honor,  which  require  in  every  private 
encounter  some  decent  equality  of  age 
and  strength,  of  numbers  and  weapons. 
An  annual  festival  of  two,  perhaps  of 
four,   months,  was    observed    by    th« 


Life  of  Mahomet.  39 

Arabs  before  the  time  oF  Mahomet, 
during  which  their  swords  were  relig- 
oiisly  sheathed  both  in  foreign  and  do- 
mestic  hostility  ;  and  this  partial  truce 
is  more  strongly  expressive  of  the  habits 
of  anarchy  and  warfare. 

But  the  spirit  of  rapine  and  revenge 
was  attempered  by  the  milder  influence 
of  trade  and  literature.  The  solitary 
peninsula  is  encompassed  by  the  most 
civilized  nations  of  the  ancient  world  ; 
the  merchant  is  the  friend  of  mankind  ; 
and  the  annual  caravans  imported  the 
first  seeds  of  knowledge  and  politeness 
into  the  cities,  and  even  the  camps,  of 
the  desert.  Whatever  may  be  the  pedi- 
gree of  the  Arabs,  their  language  is  de- 
rived from  the  same  original  stock 
with  the  Hebrew,  the  Syriac,  and  the 
Chaldean  tongues  ;  the  independence  of 
the  tribes  was  marked  by  their  peculiar 
dialects ;  but  each,  after  their  own, 
allowed  a  just  preference  to  the  pure 


40  Life  of  Maho 7716 1, 

and  perspicuous  idiom  of  Mecca.  In 
Arabia,  as  well  as  in  Greece,  the  per- 
fection of  language  outstripped  the  re. 
finement  of  manners  ;  and  her  speech 
could  diversify  the  fourscore  names  of 
hone}^,  the  two  hundred  of  a  serpent, 
the  five  hundred  of  a  lion,  the  thousand 
of  a  sword,  at  a  time  when  this  copious 
dictionary  was  intrusted  to  the  memory 
of  an  illiterate  people.  The  monu- 
ments of  the  Homerites  were  inscribed 
with  an  obsolete  and  mysterious  char- 
acter ;  but  the  Cufic  letters,  the  ground- 
work of  the  present  alphabet,  were  in- 
vented on  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates ; 
and  the  recent  invention  was  taught  at 
Mecca  by  a  stranger  who  settled  in  that 
city  after  the  birth  of  Mahomet.  The 
arts  of  grammar,  of  metre,  and  of 
rhetoric,  were  unknown  to  the  free-born 
eloquence  of  the  Arabians ;  but  their 
penetration  was  sharp,  their  fancy  luxu- 
riant, their  wit  strong  and  sententious," 

•  Btatod  from  the    one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  sentence! 


Life  of  Mahomet,  41 

and  their  more  elaborate  compositions 
were  addressed  with  energy  and  effect 
to  the  minds  of  tlieir  hearers.  The 
genius  and  merit  of  a  rising  poet  was 
celebrated  by  the  applause  of  his  own 
and  the  kindred  tribes.  A  solemn 
banquet  was  prepared,  and  a  chorus  of 
women,  striking  their  tymbals,  and  dis- 
playing the  pomp  of  their  nuptials,  sung 
in  the  presence  of  their  sons  and  hus- 
bands the  felicity  of  their  native  tribe — 
that  a  champion  had  now  appeared  to 
vindicate  their  rights — that  a  herald 
had  raised  his  voice  to  immortalize 
their  renown.  The  distant  or  hostile 
tribes  resorted  to  an  annual  fair,  which 
was  abolished  by  the  fanaticism  of  the 
first  Moslems — a  national  assembly  that 
must  have  contributed  to  refine  and 
harmonize  the  barbarians.     Thirty  days 

|f  Ali  (translated  by  Ockley,  London,  1718),  which  afford  a 
Just  and  favorable  specimen  of  Arabian  wit. ' 

»  Compare  the  Arabic  proverbs  translated  by  BHtckhardt. 
Condon,  1830.— M. 


42  Life  of  Mahomet. 

were  employed  in  the  exchange,  not 
only  of  corn  and  wine,  but  of  eloquence 
and  poetry.  The  prize  was  disputed 
by  the  generous  emulation  of  the  bai'ds ; 
the  victorious  performance  was  deposit- 
ed in  the  archives  of  princes,  and 
emirs  ;  and  we  may  read  in  our  own 
language,  the  seven  original  poems 
which  were  inscribed  in  letters  of  gold, 
and  suspended  in  the  temple  of  Mecca. 
L^,  The  Arabian  poets  were  the  historians 
and  moralists  of  the  age ;  and  if  they 
s^^mpathized  with  the  prejudices,  tliey 
inspired  and  crowned  the  virtues,  of 
their  countrymen.  The  indissoluble 
union  of  generosity  and  valor  was  the 
darling  theme  of  their  song  ;  and  when 
they  pointed  their  keenest  satire  against 
a  despicable  race,  they  affirmed,  in  the 
.  bitterness  of  reproach,  that  the  men 
knew  not  how  to  give,  nor  the  w^omen 
to  deny.  The  same  hospitality,  which 
was  practised   by  Abraham,  and  cele 


Life  of  Mahomet.  43 

brated  by  Homer,  is  still  renewed  in 
the  camps  of  the  Arabs.  The  ferocious 
Bedoweens,  tlie  terror  of  the  desert, 
embrace,  without  inquiry  or  hesitation, 
the  stranger  who  dares  to  confide  in 
their  honor  and  to  enter  their  tent. 
His  treatment  is  kind  and  respectful  ; 
he  shares  the  wealth,  or  the  poverty,  of 
his  host  ;  and,  after  a  needful  repose, 
he  is  dismissed  on  his  way,  with  thanks, 
with  blessings,  and  perhaj)s  with  gifts. 
The  heart  and  hand  are  more  largely 
expanded  by  the  wants  of  a  brother  or 
a  friend  ;  but  the  heroic  acts  that  could 
deserve  the  public  applause,  must  have 
surpassed  the  narrow  measure  of  dis- 
cretion and  experience.  A  dispute 
had  arisen,  who,  among  the  citizens  of 
Mecca,  was  entitled  to  the  prize  of  gen- 
erosity;  and  a  successive  application  was 
made  to  the  three  who  were  deemed  most 
yorthy  of  the  trial.  Abdallah,  the  son 
of  Abdas,   had   undertaken   a   distant 


14  Life  of  Mahomet. 

journey,  and  his  foot  was  in  the  stirrup 
when  he  heard  the  voice  of  a  suppliant, 
"  O  son  of  the  uncle  of  the  apostle  of 
God,  I  am  a  traveller  and  in  distress  !" 
He  instantly  dismounted,  to  present  the 
pilgrim  with  his  camel,  her  rich  ca- 
parison, and  a  purse  of  four  thousand 
pieces  of  gold,  excepting  only  the 
sword,  either  for  its  intrinsic  value,  or 
as  the  gift  of  an  honored  kinsman. 
The  servant  of  Kais  informed  the  second 
suppliant  that  his  master  was  asleep  ; 
but  he  immediately  added,  "  Here  is  a 
purse  of  seven  thousand  pieces  of  gold, 
(it  is  all  we  have  in  the  house,)  and 
here  is  an  order,  that  will  entitle  you 
to  a  camel  and  a  slave  ;"  the  master,  as 
soon  as  he  awoke,  praised  and  enfran- 
chised his  faithful  steward  with  a  ofentle 
reproof,  that  by  respecting  his  slumbers 
he  had  stinted  his  bounty.  The  thira 
of  these  heroes,  the  blind  Arabah,  at 
the  hour  of  prayer,  was  supporting  his 


Life  of  Mahomet.  45 

Bteps  on  the  shoulders  of  two  slaves. 
"  Alas !"  he  replied,  '*  my  coffers  are 
empty  !  but  these  you  may  sell ;  if  you 
refuse,  1  renounce  them."  At  these 
words,  pushing  away  the  youths,  he 
groped  along  the  w^all  with  his  staff. 
The  character  of  Hatem  is  the  perfect 
model  of  Arabian  virtue  ;  *  he  was  brave 
and  liberal,  an  eloquent  poet,  and  a 
successful  robber:  forty  camels  were 
roasted  at  his  hospitable  feasts  ;  and  at 
the  prayer  of  a  suppliant  enemy,  he 
restored  both  the  captives  and  the  spoil. 
The  freedom  of  his  countrymen  disdain- 
ed  the  laws  of  justice  ;  they  proudly 
indulged  the  spontaneous  impulse  of 
pity  and  benevolence. 

The  religion  of  the  Arabs,  as  well  as 
of  the  Indians,  consisted  in  the  worship 
of  the   sun,  the   moon,  and   the  fixed 


*  See  tlie  translation  of  the  amusing  Persian  romance  ol 
Hatim  Tai,  by  Duncan  Forbes,  Esq.,  among  the  works  pub* 
Sished  by  the  Oriental  Translation  Fund.— M. 


46  Life  of  Mahomet, 

stars;  a  primitive  and  specious  mode 
of  superstition.  The  bright  luminaries 
of  the  sky  display  the  visible  image  of 
the  Deity  :  their  number  and  distance 
convey  to  a  philosophic,  or  even  a 
vulgar,  eye,  the  idea  of  boundless 
space :  the  character  of  eternity  is 
marked  on  these  solid  globes,  that  seem 
incapable  of  corruption  or  decay  :  the 
regularity  of  their  motions  may  be  as- 
cribed to  a  principle  of  reason  or  in- 
stinct ;  and  their  real  or  imaginary  in- 
fluence encourages  the  vain  belief  that 
the  earth  and  its  inhabitants  are  the 
object  of  their  peculiar  care.  The 
science  of  astronomy  was  cultivated  at 
Babylon  ;  but  the  school  of  the  Arabs 
was  a  clear  firmament  and  a  naked 
plain.  In  their  nocturnal  marches, 
they  steered  by  the  guidance  of  the 
etars ;  their  names,  and  order,  and 
daily  station,  were  familiar  to  the  curi 
osity  and  devotion  of  th*-  Bedoween 


I^^f^  of  Mahomet.  47 

and  he  was  taught  by  experience  to 
divide  in  twenty-eight  parts  the  zodiac 
of  the  moon,  and  to  bless  the  constella- 
tions who  refreshed,  with  salutary  rains, 
the  thirst  of  the  desert.  The  reign  of 
the  heavenly  orbs  could  not  be  extend* 
ed  beyond  the  visible  sphere  ;  and  some 
metaphysical  powers  were  necessary  to 
sustain  the  transmigration  of  souls  and 
the  resurrection  of  bodies  :  a  camel  was 
left  to  perish  on  the  grave,  that  he  might 
serve  his  master  in  another  life  ;  and 
the  invocation  of  departed  spirits  im- 
plies that  they  were  still  endowed  with 
consciousness  and  power.  I  am  igno- 
rant, and  I  am  careless,  of  the  blind 
mythology  of  the  barbarians  ;  of  the 
local  deities,  of  the  stars,  the  air,  ana 
the  earth,  of  their  sex  or  titles,  their 
attributes,  or  subordination.  Eacn 
♦■ribe,  each  family,  each  independent 
warrior,  created  and  changed  the  ritep 
and  the  object  of  his  fantastic  worship 


48  Life  cf  Mahomet. 


but  the  nation,  in  every  age,  has  bowed 
to  the  religion,  as  well  as  to  the  lan- 
guage, of  Mecca.  The  genuine  antiquity 
of  the  Caaba  ascends  beyond  th 
Christian  era  :  in  describing  the  coas 
of  the  Red  Sea,  the  Greek  historian 
Diodorus  has  remarked,  between  the 
Thamudites  and  the  Sabians,  a  famous 
temple,^  whose  superior  sanctity  was 
revered  by  all  the  Arabians  ;  the  linen 
or  silken  veil,  which  is  annually  renew- 
ed by  the  Turkish  emperor,  was  first 
offered  by  a  pious  king  of  the  Homer- 
ites,  who  reigned  seven  hundred  years 
before  the  time  of  Mahomet.  A  tent, 
or  a  cavern,  might  suffice  for  the  wor- 
ship of  the  savages,  but  an  edifice  of 

»  Mr.  Forster  (Geography  of  Arabia,  vol.  ii.  p.  118  et 
fr3q.)  has  raised  an  objection,  as  I  thinlc,  fatal  to  this  hypo- 
thesis of  Gibbon.  The  temple,  situated  in  the  country  of  the 
Banizomeneis,  was  not  between  the  Thamudites  and  the 
Babians,  but  higher  up  than  the  coast  inhabited  by  the  for- 
mer. Mr.  Forster  would  place  it  as  far  north  as  Moilah.  I 
am  not  quite  satisfied  that  this  will  agree  'f?ith  the  whol« 
:lescription  of  Diodorus. — M.  1845. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  49 

Btone  and  clay  has  been  erected  in  its 
place ;  and  the  art  and  power  of  the 
monarchs  of  the  east  have  been  con- 
fined to  the  simplicity  of  the  original 
model.  A  spacious  portico  includes 
the  quadrangle  of  the  Caaba — a  square 
chapel,  twenty -four  cubits  long,  twenty- 
three  broad,  and  twenty-seven  high  :  a 
door  and  a  window  admit  the  light  ; 
the  double  roof  is  supported  by  three 
pillars  of  wood  ;  a  spout  (now  of  gold) 
discharges  the  rain-water,  and  the  well 
Zemzem  is  protected  by  a  dome  from 
accidental  pollution.  The  tribe  of 
Koreish,  by  fraud  or  force,  had  ac- 
quired the  custody  of  the  Caaba :  the 
sacerdotal  office  devolved  through  four 
lineal  descents  to  the  grandfather  of 
Mahomet ;  and  the  family  of  the 
Hashemites,  from  whence  he  sprung, 
was  the  most  respectable  and  sacred 
in  the  eyes  of  their  country.  The  pre- 
nncts  of  Mecca  enjoyed  the  rights  of 
5 


50  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Banctuaiy;  and,  in  the  last  month  of 
each  year,  the  city  and  temple  were 
crowded  with  a  long  train  of  pilgrims, 
who  presented  their  vows  and  offerings 
in  the  house  of  God.  The  same  rites, 
which  are  now  accomplished  by  the 
faithful  rnussulman,  were  invented  and 
practised  by  the  superstition  of  the 
idolaters.  At  an  awful  distance  they 
cast  away  their  garments  :  seven  times, 
with  hasty  steps,  they  encircled  the 
Caaba,  and  kissed  the  black  stone: 
seven  times  they  visited  and  adored  the 
adjacent  mountains  :  seven  times  they 
threw  stones  into  the  valley  of  Mina : 
and  the  pilgrimage  was  achieved,  as  at 
the  present  hour,  by  a  sacrifice  of  sheep 
and  camels,  and  the  burial  of  their  hair 
and  nails  in  the  consecrated  ground. 
Each  tribe  either  found  or  introduced 
in  the  Caaba  their  domestic  worship  ; 
the  temple  was  adorned,  or  defiled,  with 
three  hundred  and  sixty  idols  of  men 


Life,  of  Mahomet,  51 

eagles,  lions,  and  antelopes  ;  and  most 
conspicuous  was  the  statue  of  Hebal,  of 
red  agate,  holding  in  his  hand  seven 
arrows,  without  heads  or  feathers,  the 
instruments  and  symbols  of  profane 
divination.  But  this  statue  was  a 
monument  of  Syrian  arts:  the  devotion 
of  the  ruder  ages  was  content  with  a 
pillar  or  a  tablet  :  and  the  rocks  of  the 
desert  were  hewn  into  gods  or  altars,  in 
imitation  of  the  black  stone  of  Mecca, 
wliich  is  deeply  tainted  with  the  re- 
proach of  an  idolatrous  origin.  From 
Japan  to  Peru,  the  use  of  sacrifice  has 
universally  prevailed  ;  and  the  votary 
has  expressed  his  gratitude,  or  fear,  by 
viestroying,  or  consuming,  in  honor  of 
the  gods,  the  dearest  and  most  precious 
vf  their  gifts.  The  life  of  a  man  is  the 
most  precious  oblation  to  deprecate  a 
public  calamity ;  the  altars  of  Phoenicia 
dnd  Egypt,  of  Rome  and  Cartilage,  have 
been   polluted  with  human   gore  ;  the 


62  Life  of  Mahomet, 

cruel  practice  was  long  preserved 
among  the  Arabs  ;  in  the  third  century, 
a  boy  was  annually  sacrificed  by  the  tribe 
of  Diunatians  ;  and  a  royal  captive  was 
piously  slaughtered  b}^  the  prince  of 
the  Saracens,  the  ally  and  soldier  of 
the  emperor  Justinian/  A  parent  who 
drags  his  son  to  the  altar,  exhibits  the 
most  painful  and  sublime  effort  of  fa- 
naticism ;  the  deed,  or  the  intention,was 
sanctified  by  the  example  of  saints  and 
heroes ;  and  the  father  of  Mahomet 
himself  was  devoted  by  a  rash  vow, 
and  hardly  ransomed  for  the  equivalent 
of  a  hundred  camels.  In  the  time  of 
ignorance,  the  Arabs,  like  the  Jews 
and  Egyptians,  abstained  from  the  taste 
of  swine's  flesh  ;  they  circumcised  their 
children  at  the  age  of  puberty :    the 

>  A  writer  in  the  '  Calcutta  Eeview '  (No.  xlill.  p.  15' 
maintains  that  the  sacrifice  of  human  beings  in  Arabia  waa 
#nly  incidental,  and  in  the  case  of  violent  and  cruel  tyrants 
wrhero  it  is  alleged  to  have  been  done  uniformly  and  on 
iriuciple.  the  autliority  seems  doubtful. — S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  63 

same  customs,  without  the  censure  or 
the  precept  of  the  Koran,  have  been 
Bilently  transmitted  to  their  posterity 
and  proselytes.  It  has  been  sagaciously 
conjectured,  that  the  artful  legislatoj 
indulged  the  stubborn  prejudices  ot 
his  countrymen.  It  is  more  simple  to 
believe  that  he  adhered  to  the  habits 
and  opinions  of  his  youth,  without 
foreseeing  that  a  practice  congenial  to 
the  climate  of  Mecca,  might  become 
useless  or  inconvenient  on  the  banks  of 
the  Danube  or  the  Yolga. 

Arabia  was  free  :  the  adjacent  king- 
doms were  shaken  by  the  storms  of  con- 
quest and  tyranny,  and  the  persecuted 
Beets  fled  to  the  happy  land  where  they 
might  profess  what  they  thought,  and 
practise  what  they  professed.  The  re- 
ligions of  the  Sabians  and  Magians,  of 
the  Jews  and  Christians,  were  dissemi- 
nated from  the  Persian  gulf  to  the  Eed 
Sea.     In  a  remote  period  of  antiquity. 


54  Lif&  of  Mahomet. 


X 


Sabianism  was  diffused  over  Asia  by 
the  science  of  the  Chaldeans  and  the 
arms  of  the  Assyrians.  From  the  ob- 
servations of  two  thousand  years,  the 
priests  and  astronomers  of  Babylon  de- 
duced the  eternal  laws  of  nature  and 
providence.  They  adored  the  seven 
gods,  or  angels,  who  directed  the  course 
of  the  seven  planets,  and  shed  their 
irresistible  influence  on  the  earth.  The 
attributes  of  the  seven  planets,  with  the 
twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac,  and  the 
twenty-four  constellations  of  the  north- 
ern and  southern  hemisphere,  were  rep- 
resented by  images  and  talismans  ;  the 
seven  days  of  the  week  were  dedicated 
to  their  respective  deities  :  the  Sabians 
prayed  thrice  each  day ;  and  the  tem- 
ple of  the  moon  at  Haran  w^as  the  term 
of  their  pilgrimage.  But  the  flexible 
genius  of  their  faith  was  always  ready 
either  to  teach  or  to  learn  :  in  the  tra- 
dition of  the  creation,  the  deluge,  and 


Life  of  Mahomet,  65 

the  patriarchs,  they  held  a  singular 
agreement  with  their  Jewish  captives  ; 
they  appealed  to  the  secret  books  of 
Adam,  Seth,  and  Enoch  ;  and  a  slight 
infusion  of  the  gospel  has  transformed 
the  last  remnant  of  the  polytheists  into 
the  Christians  of  St.  John,  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Bassora/  The  altars  of  Babylon 
were  overturned  by  the  Magians  ;  but 
the  injuries  of  the  Sabians  were  reveng- 
ed by  the  sword  of  Alexander  ;  Persia 
groaned  above  live  hundred  years  under 
a  foreign  yoke  ;  and  the  purest  disciples 
of  Zoroaster  escaped  from  the  conta- 
gion of  idolatry,  and  breathed  with 
their  adversaries  the  freedom  of  the 
desert.  Seven  hundred  years  before 
the  death  of  Mahomet,  the  Jews  were 
ettled  in  Arabia ;  and  a  far  greater 

»  The  Codex  Nasiraeus,  their  sacred  book,  has  been  pub- 
tshed  by  Norberg,  whose  researches  contain  almost  all  that 
Tsnown  of  this  singular  people.  But  their  origin  is  almost 
•8  obscure  as  ever :  if  ancient,  their  creed  has  been  so  cor- 
Ti.pted  with  mysticism  and  Mahometanism,  that  its  native 
.ieaments  are  very  indistincrt. — M. 


56  Life'  of  Mahomet, 

multitude  was  expelled  from  the  holy 
land  in  the  wars  of  Titus  and  Hadrian. 
The  industrious  exiles  aspired  to  liberty 
and  power :  they  erected  synagogues 
in  the  cities,  and  castles  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  and  their  Gentile  converts  were 
confounded  with  the  children  of  Israel, 
whom  they  resembled  in  the  outward 
mark  of  circumcision.  The  Christian 
missionaries  were  still  more  active  and 
successful :  the  Catholics  asserted  their 
universal  reign ;  the  sects  whom  they 
oppressed  successively  retired  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  Roman  empire ;  the 
Marcionites  and  the  Manichseans  dis- 
persed their  jphantasiic  opinions  and 
apocryphal  gospels ;  the  churches  of 
Yemen,  and  the  princes  of  Hira  and 
Gassan,  were  instructed  in  a  purer 
creed  by  the  Jacobite  and  JN'estorian 
bishops.  The  liberty  of  choice  was 
presented  to  the  tribes  ;  each  Arab  was 
free  to  elect  or   to  compose  his  private 


Life  of  Mahomet »  67 

religion  ;  and  the  rude  superstition  of 
his  house  was  mingled  with  the  sublime 
theology  of  saints  and  philosophers. 
A  fundamental  article  of  faith  was  in- 
culcated by  the  consent  of  the  learned 
strangers  ;  the  existence  of  one  supreme 
God,  who  is  exalted  above  tlie  powers 
of  heaven  and  earth,  but  who  has  often 
revealed  himself  to  mankind  by  the 
ministry  of  his  angels  and  prophets,  and 
whose  grace  or  justice  has  interrupted, 
by  seasonable  miracles,  the  order  of 
nature.  The  most  rational  of  the  Arabs 
acknowledged  his  power,  though  the^^ 
neglected  liis  worship  ;  and  it  was  habit 
rather  than  conviction  that  still  attach- 
ed them  to  the  relics  of  idolatr3^  The 
Jews  and  Christians  were  the  people 
of  the  hook;  the  Bible  was  already 
translated  into  the  Arabic  language, 
und  the  volume  of  the  Old  Testament 
was  accepted  by  the  concord  of  these 
viiiplacable  enemies.     In  the  story  of 


58  Life  of  Mahomet. 

the  Hebrew  patriarchs,  the  Arabs  were 
pleased  to  discover  the  fathers  of  their 
nation.  Thej  applauded  the  birth  and 
promises  of  Ismael ;  revered  the  faith 
and  virtue  of  Abraham  ;  traced  his 
pedigree  and  their  own  to  the  creation 
of  the  first  man,  and  imbibed  with  equal 
credulit}"  the  prodigies  of  the  holy  text, 
and  the  dreams  and  traditions  of  the 
Jewish  rabbis. 

The  base  and  plebeian  origin  of  Ma- 
homet is  an  unskilful  calumny  of  the 
Christians/  who  exalted  instead  of  de- 
grading the  merit  of  their  adversary. 
His  descent  from  Ismael  was  a  national 
privilege  or  fable ;  but  if  the  first  steps 
of  the  pedigree  are  dark  and  doubtful, 
he  could  produce  many  generations  of 
pure  and  genuine  nobility :  he  sprung 
from   the   tribe   of    Koreish''    and    the 

»  The  most  orthodox  Mahometans  only  reckon  back  th« 
ancestry  of  the  prophet,  for  twenty  generations,  to  Adnan. 
'Weil,  Mohammed  der  Prophet,  p.  1).— M.  1845. 

^  According  to  the  usually  received  tradition,  Koreisb 


Life  of  Mahomet,  59 

familj  of  Hashem,  the  most  illustrious 
of  the  Arabs,  the  princes  of  Mecca,  and 
the  hereditary  guardians  of  the  Caaba.* 
The  grandfather  of  Mahomet  was  Abdol 
Motalleb,  the  son  of  Hashem,  a  wealthy 
and  generous  citizen,  who  relieved  the 
distress  of  famine  with  the  supplies  of 
commerce.      Mecca,  which    had   been 

was  originally  an  epithet  conferred  upon  Fihr  (born  about 
A.  D.  200),  who  was  the  ancestor,  at  the  distance  of  eight 
generations,  of  the  famous  Kussai  mentioned  in  the  next 
note.  Sprenger,  however,  maintains  that  the  tribe  of  Korcish 
was  first  formed  by  Kussai,  and  that  the  members  of  the 
new  tribe  called  themselves  the  children  of  Fihr  as  a  symbol 
of  unity.  He  regards  Fihr  as  a  mythical  personage.  (See 
Caussin  de  Perceval,  vol.  i.  p.  42 ;  Calcutta  Eeview,  No.  xli. 
p.  42 ;  Sprenger,  Life  of  Mohammed,  p.  42). — S. 

1  Kussai,  (born  about  A.  D.  400),  great-grandfather  of 
Abdol  Motalleb,  and  consequently  fifth  in  the  ascending  line 
from  Mahomet,  obtained  supreme  power  at  Mecca.  Hia 
ofiice  and  privileges  were— to  supply  the  numerous  pilgrims 
with  food  and  fresh  water,  the  latter  a  rare  article  at  Mecca; 
to  conduct  the  business  of  the  temple ;  and  to  preside  in  the 
lenate  or  council.  His  revenues  were  a  tenth  of  all  mer« 
shandise  brought  to  Mecca.  After  the  death  of  Kussai  these 
offices  became  divided  among  his  descendants ;  and,  though 
Ihe  branch  from  which  Mahomet  sprang  belonged  to  the 
reigning  line,  yet  his  family,  especially  after  the  death  cf  his 
^andfather,  had  but  little  to  do  with  the  actual  government 
tf  Mecca.    (Weil,  Mohammed  pp.  4  and  12).— S. 


60  ^^f^  of  Mahomet, 

fed  by  the  liberality  of  the  father,  was 
saved  by  the  courage  of  the  son.  The 
kingdom  of  Yemen  was  subject  to  the 
Christian  princes  of  Abyssinia :  tlieir 
vassal  Abrahah  was  provoked  by  an  in- 
Rult  to  avenge  the  honor  of  the  cross; 
and  the  holy  city  was  invested  by  a 
train  of  elephants,  and  an  army  of 
Africans.  A  treaty  was  proposed  ;  and, 
in  the  first  audience,  the  grandfather 
of  Mahomet  demanded  the  restitution 
of  his  cattle.  "  And  why,"  said  Abra- 
hah, "  do  you  not  rather  implore  my 
clemency  in  favor  of  your  temple,  which 
I  have  threatened  to  destroy  ?  "  "  Be- 
cause," replied  the  intrepid  chief,  "  the 
cattle  are  my  own ;  the  Caaba  belongs  to 
the  gods,  and  they  will  defend  their 
house  from  injury  and  sacrilege."  The 
want  of  provisions,  or  the  valor  of  the 
Koreish,  compelled  the  Abyssinians  to 
a  disgraceful  retreat :  their  discomfiture 
has  been  adorned  with  a  miraculous 


Life  of  Mahomet,  61 

flight  of  birds,  who  showered  down 
stones  on  the  heads  of  the  infidels  ;  and 
the  deliverance  was  long  commemo- 
rated by  the  era  of  tlie  elephant/  The 
glory  of  Abdol  Motalleb  was  crowned 
with  domestic  happiness ;  his  life  was 
prolonged  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  years,'  and  he  became  the  father  of 
six  daughters  and  thirteen  sons.  His 
best  beloved  Abdallah  was  the  most 
beautiful  and  modest  of  the  Arabian 
youth;  and  in  the  first  night, when  he  con- 
summated his  marriage  with  Amina,' 
of  the  noble  race  of  the  Zahrites,  two 
hundred  virgins   are  said  to  have  ex- 

1  The  apparent  miracle  was  nothing  else  but  the  small- 
pox, which  broke  out  in  the  army  of  Abrahah.  (Sprenger, 
Life  of  Mohammed,  p.  35,  who  quotes  Wakidi ;  Weil,  Mo- 
hammed, p.  10.)  This  seems  to  have  been  the  first  appear- 
ance of  the  small-pox  in  Arabia.  (Eeiske,  Opuscula  Medica 
sx  monumentis  Arabum,  Halae,  1776,  p.  8).— S. 

2  Weil  sets  him  down  at  about  eighty-two  at  his  death- 
^Mohammed,  p.  28).— S. 

3  Amina  was  of  Jewish  birth.  (Von  Hammer,  Geschichte 
uer  Assass.,  p.  10).— M. 

Von  Hammer  gives  no  authority  for  this  important  fact 


32  Life  of  Mahomet , 

pired  of  jealousy  and  despair.  Ma- 
homet, or  more  properly  Mohammed,' 
the  only  son  of  Abdallali  and  Amina, 
was  born''  at  Mecca,  four  years  after  the 
death  of  Justinian,  and  two  months 
after  the  defeat  of  the  Abyssinians, 
whose  victory  would  have  introduced 

which  seems  hardly  to  agree  with  Sprenger's  account  that 
she  was  a  Koreishite,  and  the  daughter  of  Wahb,  an  elder 
of  the  Zohrah  family.— S. 

1  Mohammed  means  "praised,"  the  name  given  to  him 
by  his  grandfather  on  account  of  the  favorable  omen  attend- 
ing his  birth.  When  Amina  had  given  birth  to  the  prophet, 
she  sent  for  his  grandfather,  and  related  to  him  that  she  had 
seen  in  a  dream  a  light  proceeding  from  her  body,  which 
illuminated  the  palaces  of  Bostra.  (Sprenger,  p.  76.)  We 
learn  from  Burckhardt  that  among  the  Arabs  a  name  is 
given  to  the  infant  immediately  on  its  birth.  The  name  is 
derived  from  some  trifling  accident,  or  from  some  object 
which  had  struck  the  fancy  of  the  mother  or  any  of  the 
women  present  at  the  child's  birth.  (Notes  on  the  Bedouins, 
vol.  i.  p.  97).— S. 

2  All  authorities  agree  that  Mohammed  was  born  on  a 
Monday,  in  the  first  half  of  Eaby'  I. ;  but  they  differ  on  the 
year  and  on  the  date  of  the  month.  Most  traditions  say  that 
ne  di(d  at  an  age  of  sixty-three  years.  If  this  is  correct,  he 
ivas  born  in  571.*  There  are,  however,  good  traditions  in 
Bokhari,  Moslim,  and  Tirmidzy,  according  to  which  he 
»ttained  an  age  of  sixty -five  yeara,  which  would  place  bii 

*  This  is  the  year  which  Weil  decides  upon. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  63 

into  the  Caaba  the  religion  of  the 
Christians.     In  his  early  infancj,'   he 

birth  in  569.  With  reference  to  the  date,  his  birth  Jay  i» 
celebrated  on  the  12th  of  Eaby'  I.  by  the  Musalmans,  and  for 
this  day  are  almost  all  traditions.  This  was  a  Thursday  in 
571,  and  a  Tuesday  in  569 ;  and,  supposing  the  new  moon  of 
Eaby'I.  was  seen  one  day  sooner  than  expected,  it  was  a 
Monday  in  569.  A  tradition  of  Abfl  Ma'shar  is  for  the  2d  of 
Raby'  I.,  which  was  a  Monday  in  571 ;  but  Abii  Ma'shar  was 
a  mathematician,  and  his  account  may  possibly  be  a  calcula- 
tion, and  not  a  tradition.  There  are  also  traditions  for  the 
first  Monday,  and  for  the  10th  day  of  the  month."  (Sprenger 
p.  75.) 

In  reference,  however,  to  this  subject,  it  is  important  to 
observe  that  Caussin  de  Perceval  has  brought  forward  rea 
sons  for  believing  that  the  Meccan  year  was  originally  a 
lunar  one,  and  continued  so  till  the  beginning  of  the  fifih 
century,  when,  in  imitation  of  the  Jews,  it  was  turned  by 
the  intercalation  of  a  month  at  the  close  of  every  third  year, 
into  a  luni-solar  period.  (C,  de  Perceval,  Essai,  &c.,  vol.  i.  p. 
49 ;  Journal  Asiatique,  April,  1843,  p.  342.)  Hence  it  follows 
that  all  calculations  up  to  the  end  of  Mahomefs  life  must  be 
made  in  luni-solar  years,  and  not  in  lunar  years,  involving 
a  yearly  difference  of  ten  days.  Hence  also  we  can  explain 
certain  discrepancies  in  Mahomet's  life,  some  historians  cal- 
culating by  the  luni-solar  year  in  force  in  the  period  under 
narration,  others  adjusting  such  periods  by  the  applicatiou 
of  the  lunar  year  subsequently  adopted.  Thus  some  mak» 
their  prophet  to  have  lived  sixty-three  or  sixty-three  and  a 
talf  years,  others  sixty -five— the  one  possibly  being  luni- 
Bolar,  the  other  lunar  years.  (See  Calcutta  Eeview,  No.  xli. 
•>.  49).— S. 

1  The  father  of  Mahomet  died  two  months  before  hit 


64  Life  of  Mahomet, 

— '  V 

was  deprived  of  his  father,  his  mother, 
and  his  grandfather ;  his  uncles  were 
strong  and  numerous ;  and  in  the 
division  of  the  inheritance,  the  orphan's 
share  was  reduced  to  five  camels  and 
an  Ethiopian  maid-servant.*  At  home 
and  abroad,  in  peace  and  war,  Abu 
Taleb,  the  most  respectable  of  his 
uncles,  was  the  guide  and  guardian  of 
his  youth ;  in  his  twentj-iifth  year,  he 
entered  into  the  service  of  Cadijah,  a 
rich  arid  noble  widow  of  Mecca,  who 

birth ;  and  to  the  ill  state  of  health  which  the  shock  of  this 
premature  bereavement  entailed  on  his  widow,  Sprcnger 
attributes  the  sickly  and  nervous  temperament  of  Mahomet. 
His  mother  died  in  his  seventh  year  (p.  79) ;  his  grandfather 
two  years  later. — 8. 

1  Sprenger,  however,  (p.  81),  ascribes  his  poverty  not  to 
the  injustice  of  his  uncles,  who,  on  the  contrary,  were  anx- 
ious to  bring  him  forwards,  but  to  his  own  inactivity  and 
unfitness  for  the  ordinary  duties  of  life.  He  had  the  same 
patrimony  with  which  his  father  began  life,  viz.,  a  house,  five 
camels,  a  flock  of  sheep,  and  a  female  slave  ;  yet  he  was  re- 
iuced  to  the  necessity  of  pasturing  sheep,  an  occupation 
considered  by  the  Arabs  as  peculiarly  humiliating.  (Com- 
pare Weil,  p.  33.)  The  l-att^r  author  adds  that  Mahomed 
afterwards  entered  into  the  linen  trade,  in  partnership  witi 
a  man  named  Saib.— S. 


Life,  of  Mahomet.  65 

»ooii  rewarded  his  fidelity  with  the  gift 
of  her  hand  and  fortune.  The  marriage 
contract,  in  the  simple  style  of  antiquity, 
recites  the  mutual  love  of  Mahomet  and 
Cadijah  ;  describes  him  as  the  most  ac- 
complished of  the  tribe  of  Koreish  ;  and 
stipulates  a  dowry  of  twelve  ounces  of 
gold  and  twenty  camels,  which  was 
supplied  by  the  liberality  of  his  uncle. 
By  this  alliance,  the  son  of  Abdallah 
was  restored  to  the  station  of  his  an- 
cestors ;  and  the  judicious  matron  was 
content  with  his  domestic  virtues,  till, 
in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  he  as- 
sumed the  title  of  a  prophet,  and  pro- 
claimed the  religion  of  the  Koran. 

According  to  the  tradition  of  his  com- 
panions, Mahomet  was  distinguished 
by  the  beauty  of  his  person,  an  out- 
ward gift  which  is  seldom  despised, 
except  by  those  to  whom  't  has  been 
refused.  Before  h«  spoke,  the  orator 
engaged  on  his  side  the  affections  of  a 


S6  Life  of  Mahomet, 

public  or  private  audience.  They  ap- 
plauded his  commanding  presence,  his 
majestic  aspect,  his  piercing  eye,  his 
gracious  smile,  his  flowing  beard,  his 
countenance  that  painted  every  sensa- 
tion of  the  soul,  and  his  gestures  that 
enforced  each  expression  of  the  tongue/ 

1  To  the  general  characteristics  of  Mahomet's  person  here 
recorded  by  Gibbon,  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  add  the 
more  particular  traits  derived  from  the  researches  of  modern 
orientalists,  "  Mohammed,"  says  Dr.  Sprenger,  "  was  of 
middling  size,  had  broad  shoulders,  a  wide  chest,  and  large 
bones,  and  he  was  fleshy  "but  not  stout.  The  immoderate 
size  of  his  head  was  partly  disguised  by  the  long  locks  of  hair, 
which  in  slight  curls  came  nearly  down  to  the  lobes  of  his 
ears.  His  oval  face,  though  tawny,  was  rather  fair  for  an 
Arab,  but  neither  pale  nor  high  colored.  The  forehead  was 
broad,  and  his  fine  and  long,  but  narrow,  eyebrows  were 
separated  by  a  vein,  which  you  could  see  throbbing  if  he 
was  angry.  Under  long  eyelashes  sparkled  bloodshot  black 
eyes  through  wide-slit  eyelids.  His  nose  was  large,  promi- 
nent, and  slightly  hooked,  and  the  tip  of  it  seemed  to  be 
turned  up,  but  was  not  so  in  reality.  The  mouth  was  wide, 
and  he  had  a  good  set  of  teeth,  and  the  fore-teeth  were 
asunder.  His  beard  rose  from  the  cheek-bones  and  came 
down  to  the  collarbone  ;  he  clipped  his  mustachios,  but  did 
not  shave  them.  He  stooped,  and  was  slightly  humpbacked. 
H.s  gait  was  careless,  and  he  walked  fast  but  heavily,  as  if 
he  were  ascending  a  hill ;  *  and  if  he  looked  back,  he  turned 

♦  "Weil's  description,  which  agrees  in  other  particulars, 
differs  in  this :  "  His  hands  and  feet,"  says  that  writer, 
*were  very  large,  yet  his  step  was  so  light  that  his  foot  left 
no  mark  behind  in  the  sand." — p.  341. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  67 

In  the  familiar  offices  of  life  iie  Bcru' 
pulously  adhered  to  the  grave  and  cere- 
monious politeness  of  his  country :  his 
respectful  attention  to  the  rich  and 
powerful  was  dignified  by  his  conde- 
scension and  affability  to  the  poorest 
citizens  of  Mecca  :  the  frankness  of  his 
manner  concealed  the  artifice  of  his 
views ;  and  the  habits  of  courtesy  were 
imputed  to  personal  friendship,  or  uni- 
versal benevolence.  His  memory  was 
capacious  and  retentive,  his  wit  easy 
and  social,  his  imagination  sublime,  his 
judgment  clear,  rapid,  and  decisive. 
He    possessed   the    courage    both   of 

his  whole  body.  The  mildness  of  his  countenance  gained 
him  the  confidence  of  every  one ;  but  he  could  not  look 
Btraight  into  a  man's  face ;  he  turned  his  eyes  usually  out« 
wards.  On  his  back  he  had  a  round,  fleshy  tumor  of  the 
Bize  of  a  pigeon's  egg ;  its  farrowed  surface  was  covered 
with  hair,  and  its  base  was  surrounded  by  black  moles. 
This  was  considered  as  the  seal  of  his  prophetic  mission,  at 
least  during  the  latter  part  of  his  career,  by  his  followers 
Vho  were  so  devout  that  they  found  a  cure  for  their  ailings 
ji  drinking  the  water  in  which  ne  had  bathed ;  and  it  must 
have  been  very  refreshing,  for  he  perspired  profusely,  and 
kis  skin  exhaled  a  strong  smell."  (Life  of  Mohammed,  p.  84] 


88  Life  of  Mahomet. 


thought  and  action  ;  and,  although  his 
designs  might  gradually  expand  with 
his  success,  the  first  idea  which  he  en- 
tertained of  his  divine  mission  bears 
the  stamp  of  an  original  and  superior 
genius.  The  son  of  Abdallah  was 
educated  in  the  bosom  of  the  noblest 
race,  in  the  use  of  the  purest  dialect  of 
Arabia  ;^  and  the  fluency  of  his  speech 
was  corrected  and  enhanced  by  the 
practice  of  discreet  and  seasonable 
silence.  With  these  powers  of  elo- 
quence, Mahomet  was  an  illiterate  bar- 
barian :  his  youth  had  never  been  in- 
structed in  the  arts  of  reading  and 
writing;''    the  common   ignorance  ex- 

1  Namely,  both  as  being  a  Koreishite,  and  as  having  been 
suckled  five  years  in  the  desert  by  his  foster-mother  Haly- 
mah,  of  the  tribe  of  Banu  Sad,  which  spoke  the  purest  dia 
lect.    (Sprenger,  p.  77). — 3. 

"^  Modern  orientalists  are  inclined  to  answer  the  question 
whether  Mahomet  could  read  and  write  in  the  affirmative. 
The  point  hinges  upon  the  critical  interpretation  of  certain 
passages  of  the  Koran,  and  upon  the  authority  of  traditiona 
the  96th  Sura,  adduced  by  Gibbon  in  suppor*  of  his  view 


Life  of  Mahomet.  69 

empted  him  from  shame  or  reproach^ 
but  he  was  reduced  to  a  narrow  circle 
of  existence,  and  deprived  of  those 
faithful  mirrors,  which  reflect  to  our 
mind  the  minds  of  sages  and  heroes. 
Yet  the  book  of  nature  and  of  man  was 
open  to  his  view ;  and  some  fancy  has 

Is  interpreted  by  Silvestre  de  Sacy  as  an  argument  on  the 
opposite  side,  (Mem.  de  T Acad,  des  Inscr.  L.,  p.  95),  and  his 
opinion  is  supported  by  Weil  (p.  46,  note  50).  Moslem  au- 
thors are  at  variance  on  the  subject.  Almost  all  the  modern 
•writers,  and  many  of  the  old,  deny  the  ability  of  their  pro- 
phet to  read  and  write ;  but  good  authors,  especially  of  the 
Shiite  sect,  admit  that  he  could  read,  though  they  describe 
him  as  an  unskilful  penman.  The  former  class  of  writers 
support  their  opinion  by  perverting  the  texts  of  the  Koran 
which  bear  upon  the  subject  "  Several  instances,"  says 
Dr.  Sprenger,  "in  which  Mohammed  did  read  and  write,  are 
recorded  by  Bokhari,  Nasay,  and  others.  It  is,  however, 
certain  that  he  wished  to  appear  ignorant,  in  order  to  raise 
the  elegance  of  the  composition  of  the  Koran  into  a  mira- 
cle "  (p.  102).  The  same  wish  would  doubtless  influence 
the  views  of  the  more  orthodox  Musulman  commentators. 
It  may  be  further  remarked,  that  reading  and  writing  were 
far  from  being  so  rare  among  the  citizens  of  Mecca  in  the 
•ime  of  Mahomet  as  Gibbon  represents  (Sprenger,  p.  37). 
Kor,  on  a  general  view,  does  it  appear  probable  that  a  work 
like  the  Koran,  containing  frequent  references  to  the  Scrip- 
tures and  other  books,  should  have  been  composed  by  "  as 
Illiterate  barbarian."— a 


VO  Life  of  Mahomet, 

been  indulged  in  the  political  and 
philosophical  observations  which  are 
ascribed  to  the  Arabian  traveller.  He 
compares  the  nations  and  the  religions 
of  the  earth  ;  discovers  the  weakness 
of  the  Persian  and  Roman  monarchies ; 
beholds,  with  pity  and  indignation,  the 
degeneracy  of  the  times  ;  and  resolves  to 
unite,  under  one  God  and  one  king,  the 
invincible  spirit  and  primitive  virtues  of 
the  Arabs.  Our  more  accurate  inquiry 
will  suggest,  that  instead  of  visiting  the 
courts,  the  camps,  the  temples  of  the 
east,  the  two  journeys  of  Mahomet  into 
Syria  were  confined  to  the  fairs  of  Bostra 
and  Damascus ;  that  he  was  only  thir- 
teen years  of  age  when  he  accompanied 
the  caravan  of  his  uncle  ;  and  that  his 
duty  compelled  him  to  return  as  soon 
HB  he  had  disposed  of  the  merchandise 
of  Cadijah.  In  these  hasty  and  super 
ficial  excursions,  the  eye  of  genius  might 
discern  some  objects  invisible   to  his 


L^f^  of  Mahomet,  71 

grosser  companions ;  some  seeds  of 
knowledge  might  be  cast  upon  a  fruit- 
ful soil ;  but  bis  ignorance  of  tbe  Sjriac 
language  must  have  checked  bis  curi- 
osity ;  and  I  cannot  perceive,  in  the 
life  or  v^ritings  of  Mahomet,  that  bis 
prospect  was  far  extended  beyond  the 
limits  of  tbe  Arabian  world.  From 
every  region  of  that  solitary  world,  tbe 
pilgrims  of  Mecca  were  annually  assem- 
bled, by  the  calls  of  devotion  and  com- 
merce :  in  the  free  concourse  of  multi- 
tudes, a  simple  citizen,  in  bis  native 
tongue,  might  study  tbe  political  state 
and  character  of  the  tribes,  the  theory 
and  practice  of  tbe  Jews  and  Christians. 
Some  useful  strangers  might  be  tempted, 
or  forced,  to  implore  the  rites  of  hos- 
pitality ;  and  the  enemies  of  Mahomet 
nave  named  the  Jew,  the  Persian,  and 
tbe  Syrian  monk,  whom  they  accuse  of 
lending  their  secret  aid  to  tbe  compo- 
lition  of  tbe  Koran.     Conversation  en 


72  Life  of  Mahomet. 

riches  the  understanding,  but  solitude  is 
the  school  of  genius ;  and  the  uniformity 
of  a  work  denotes  the  hand  of  a  single 
artist.  From  his  earliest  youth  Ma- 
liomet  was  addicted  to  religious  con- 
templation ;  each  year,  during  the 
month  of  Ramadan,  he  withdrew  from 
the  world,  and  from  the  arms  of  Cadi- 
jah  :  in  the  cave  of  Hera,  three  miles 
from  Mecca,  he  consulted  the  spirit  of 
fraud  or  enthusiasm,  whose  abode  is 
not  in  the  heavens,  but  in  the  mind  of 
the  prophet.  The  faith  which,  under 
the  name  of  Islam,^  he  preached  to  his 
family  and  nation,  is  compounded  of  an 

1  Isldm  is  the  verbal  noun,  or  infinitive,  and  Mbslim, 
whicli  has  been  corrupted  into  Musalman  or  Musulman,  is 
the  participle  of  the  causative  form  of  salm,  which  means 
immunity,  peace.  The  signification  of  IslAm  is  therefore  to 
make  peace,  or  to  obtain  immunity,  either  by  compact,  oi 
by  doing  homage  to  the  stronger,  acknowledging  his  supe- 
riority, and  surrendering  to  him  the  object  of  the  dispute.  It 
also  means  simply  to  surrender.  In  the  Koran  it  signifies 
.'n  most  instances  to  do  homage  to  God,  to  acknowledge  him 
as  our  absolute  Lord,  to  the  exclusion  of  idols.  Sometimes^ 
Aowever,  it  occurs  in  that  book  in  its  technical  meaning,  ai 
L\ie  name  of  a  religion.    (Sprenger,  p.  168).— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  73 

eternal  truth,  and  a  necessary  fiction, 
That  there  is  only  one  God,  and  that 
Mahomet  is  the  apostle  of  God. 

It  is  the  boast  of  the  Jewish  apolo- 
gists, that  while  the  learned  nations  of 
antiquity  were  deluded  by  the  fables 
of  polytheism,  their  simple  ancestors  of 
Palestine  preserved  the  knowledge  and 
worship  of  the  true  God.  The  moral 
attributes  of  Jehovah  may  not  easily  be 
reconciled  with  the  standard  of  human 
virtue ;  his  metaphysical  qualities  are 
darkly  expressed ;  but  each  page  of  the 
Pentateuch  and  the  Prophets  is  an  evi- 
dence of  his  power :  the  nnity  of  his 
name  is  inscribed  on  the  first  table  of 
the  law  ;  and  his  sanctuary  was  never 
defiled  by  any  visible  image  of  the 
invisible  essence.  After  the  ruin  of 
the  temple,  the  faith  of  the  Hebrew 
exiles  was  purified,  fixed,  and  enlight- 
ened, by  the  spiritual  devotion  of  the 
synagogue ;  and  the  authority  of  Ma- 


Y4  Life  of  Mahomet. 

hornet  will  not  justify  his  perpetual 
reproach,  that  the  Jews  of  Mecca  or 
Medina  adored  Ezra  as  the  son  of  God. 
But  the  children  of  Israel  had  ceased  to 
be  a  people ;  and  the  religions  of  the 
world  were  guilty,  at  least  in  the  eyes 
of  the  prophet,  of  giving  sons,  or  daugh- 
ters, or  companions,  to  the  supreme 
God.  In  the  rude  idolatry  of  the  Arabs, 
the  crime  is  manifest  and  audacious : 
the  Sabians  are  poorly  excused  by  the 
pre-eminence  of  the  first  planet,  or  in- 
telligence, in  their  celestial  hierarchy  ; 
and  in  the  Magian  system  the  conflict 
of  the  two  principles  betrays  the  im- 
perfection of  the  conqueror.  The 
Christians  of  the  seventh  century  had 
Insensibly  relapsed  into  a  semblance  of 
paganism ;  their  public  and  private 
vows  were  addressed  to  the  relics  and 
images  that  disgraced  the  temples  of 
the  east :  the  throne  of  the  Almighty 
was  darkened  by  a  cloud  of  martyrs 


Life  of  Mahomet,  15 

and  saints,  and  angels,  the  objects  of 
popular  veneration ;  and  the  Collyri- 
dian  heretics,  who  flourished  in  the 
fruitful  soil  of  Arabia,  invested  the 
Virgin  Mary  with  the  name  and 
honors  of  a  goddess.  The  mysteries 
of  the  Trinity  and  Incarnation  appear 
to  contradict  the  principle  of  the  divine 
nnity.  In  their  obvious  sense,  they  in- 
ti'oduce  three  equal  deities,  and  trans- 
form the  man  Jesus  into  the  substance 
of  the  Son  of  God  :  an  orthodox  com- 
mentary will  satisfy  only  a  believing 
mind :  intemperate  curiosity  and  zeal 
had  torn  the  veil  of  the  sanctuary: 
and  each  of  the  Oriental  sects  was  eager 
to  confess  that  all,  except  themselves, 
deserved  the  reproach  of  idolatry  and 
polytheism.  The  creed  of  Mahomet  is 
free  from  suspicion  or  ambiguity ;  and 
the  Koran  is  a  glorious  testimony  to  the 
unity  of  God.  The  prophet  of  Mecca 
rejected  the  worship  of  idols  and  men, 


76  Life  of  Mahomet, 

of  stars  and  planets,  on  the  rational 
principle  that  whatever  rises  must  set, 
that  whatever  is  born  must  die,  that 
whatever  is  corruptible  must  decay  and 
30  perish.     In  the  Author  of  the  universe, 

V  r^^  his  rational  enthusiasm  confessed  and 
^^^wO^  adored  an  infinite  and  eternal  being, 
without  form  or  place,  without  issue  or 
similitude,  present  to  our  most  secret 
thoughts,  existing  by  the  necessity  of 
his  own  nature,  and  deriving  from  him- 
self all  moral  and  intellectual  perfection. 
These  sublime  truths,  thus  announced 
in  the  language  of  the  prophet,  are 
firmly  held  by  his  disciples,  and  defined 
with  metaphysical  precision  by  the 
interpreters  of  the  Koran.  A  philo- 
sophic theist  might  subscribe  the  popu- 
lar creed  of  the  Mahometans :  a  creed 
too  sublime  perhaps  for  our  present 
faculties.  What  object  remains  for  the 
Cancy,  or  even  the  understanding,  when 
we  have  abstracted  from  the  unknowr 


Life  of  Mahomet.  11 

substance  all  ideas  of  time  and  space, 
of  motion  and  matter,  of  sensation  and 
reflection  ?  The  first  principle  of  reason 
and  revelation  was  confirmed  by  the 
voice  of  Mahomet :  his  proselytes  from 
India  to  Morocco,  are  distinguished  by 
the  name  of  Unita7'ians  j  and  the 
danger  of  idolatry  has  been  prevented 
by  the  interdiction  of  images.  The 
doctrine  of  eternal  decrees  and  absolute 
predestination  is  strictly  embraced  by 
the  Mahometans  ;  and  they  struggle 
with  the  common  difficulties,  how  to 
reconcile  the  prescience  of  God  with 
the  freedom  and  responsibility  of  man  ; 
how  to  explain  the  permission  of  evil 
under  the  reign  of  infinite  power  and 
infinite  goodness.^ 

>  This  sketch  of  the  Arabian  prophet  and  his  doctrines  is 
drawn  with  too  mach  partiality,  and  requires  to  be  modified 
by  the  researches  and  opinions  of  later  inquirers.  Gibbon 
was  probably  led  by  his  noticn  that  Mahomet  was  a  "  philu- 
lophic  theist,"  to  regard  him  with  such  evident  favor. 
Nothing,  however,  can  be  more  at  variance  with  the  pro- 
phet's enthusiastic  temperament  than  such  a  character.    Hla 


78  Life  of  Mahomet, 

The  God  of  nature  has  written  his 
existence  on  all  his  works,  and  his  law 
in  the  heart  of  man.  To  restore  the 
knowledge  of  the  one,  and  the  practice 
of  the  other,  has  been  the  real  or  pre- 

apparently  deistical  opinions  arose  merely  from  Ws  belief  in 
the  Mosaic  revelation,  and  Ms  rejection  of  that  of  Christ. 
He  was  thus  a  deist  in  the  sense  that  any  Jew  may  be  called 
a  d«ist.  On  this  point  Sprenger  well  remarks,  "  He  never 
could  reconcile  his  notions  of  God  with  the  doctrine  of  the 
■Trinity  and  with  the  divinity  of  Christ ;  and  he  was  dis- 
gusted with  the  monkish  institutions  and  sectarian  disputes 
of  the  Christians.  His  creed  was :  'He  is  God  alone,  the 
eternal  God ;  he  has  not  begotten,  and  is  not  begotten ;  and 
none  is  his  equal.'  Nothing,  however,  can  be  more  errone- 
ous than  to  suppose  that  Mohammed  was,  at  any  period  of 
his  early  career,  a  deist.  Faith,  when  once  extinct,  cannot 
be  revived ;  and  it  was  his  enthusiastic  faith  in  inspiration 
that  made  him  a  prophet."  (p.  104).  And  that  Mahomet's 
Ideas  of  God  were  far  from  being  of  that  abstract  nature 
which  might  suit  a  "  philosophic  theist,"  is  evident  from  hia 
ascribing  to  the  Omnipotent  ninety-nine  attributes,  thus 
regarding  him  as  a  being  of  the  most  concrete  kind, 
(lb.  p.  90). 

With  regard,  again,  to  the  originality  of  Mahomet's  doc- 
trines, there  is  reason  to  think  that  it  was  not  so  completa 
as  Gibbon  would  lead  us  to  believe  by  characterizing  the 
Koran  as  the  work  "  of  a  single  artist,"  and  by  representing 
Mahomet  as  cut  off  from  all  subsidiary  sources  in  conse- 
quence of  his  inability  to  read.  The  latter  point  has  been 
already  examined ;  and  it  now  remains  to  show  that  Ma- 
homet was  not  without  predecessors,  who  hud  not  only  heW 


Life  of  Mahomet.  79 

»  ■ 

tended  aim  of  the  propliets  of  every 
age  :  the  liberality  of  Mahomet  allowed 
to  his  predecessors  the  same  credit 
which  he  claimed  for  himself;  and  the 
chain  of  inspiration  was  prolonged  from 

the  same  tenets,  but  even  openly  preached  theui.  Gibbon 
admits,  indeed,  that  before  Mahomet's  time  "  the  most 
rational  of  the  Arabs  acknowledged  God's  power,  though 
they  neglected  his  worship ; "  and  that  it  was  habit  rather 
than  conviction  that  still  attached  them  to  the  relics  of 
Idolatry,  {supra,  p.  57).  But  the  new  creed  had  made  still 
more  active  advances.  The  Koreishites  charged  Mahomet 
with  taking  his  whole  doctrine  from  a  book  called  the 
"  Asatyr  of  the  Ancients,"  which  is  several  times  quoted  in 
the  Koran,  and  appears  to  have  contained  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection.  (Sprenger,  p.  100.)  At  the  fair  of  Okatz, 
Qoss  had  preached  the  unity  of  God  before  Mahomet  as- 
sumed the  prophetic  office ;  and  contemporary  with  him 
was  Omayah  of  Tayef,  to  whose  teaching  Mahomet  allowed 
that  his  own  bore  a  great  similarity.  (lb.  pp.  5,  38,  89.)  Zayd 
the  sceptic  was  another  forerunner  of  Mahomet,  and  his 
followers  were  among  the  prophet's  first  converts,  (p.  167) 
Sprenger  concludes  his  account  of  the  Prae-Mahometans — oi 
Eeformers  before  the  Keformation— as  follows :  "  From  the 
preceding  account  of  early  converts,  and  it  embraces  nearly 
all  those  who  joined  Mohammed  during  the  first  six  years, 
It  appears  that  the  leading  men  among  them  held  the  tenet? 
which  form  the  basis  of  the  religion  of  the  Arabic  prophet 
long  before  he  preached  them.  They  were  not  his  tools,  but 
his  constituents.  He  clothed  the  sentiments  which  he  had 
'U  common  with  them  in  poetical  language ;  and  his  m^alady 
fave  divine  sanction  to  his  oracles.    Even  when  he  was  ao 


80  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  fall  of  Adam  to  the  promulgation 
of  the  Koran.  During  that  period,  some 
rays  of  prophetic  light  had  been  im- 
parted to  one  hundred  and  twent3^-four 
thousand  of  the  elect,  discriminated  by 
their  respective  measure  of  virtue  and 
grace ;  three  hundred  and  thirteen 
apostles  were  sent  with  a  special  com- 
mission to  recall  their  country  from 
idolatry  and  vice ;  one  hundred  and 
four   volumes    have  been  dictated    by 

knowledged  as  the  messenger  of  God,  Omar  had  as  much  or 
more  influence  on  the  development  of  the  Islam  as  Moham- 
med himself.  He  sometimes  attempted  to  overrule  tho 
convictions  of  these  men,  but  he  succeeded  in  very  few  in- 
stances. The  Islam  is  not  the  work  of  Mohammed ;  it  is 
not  the  doctrine  of  the  impostor ;  it  embodies  tho  faith  and 
sentiments  of  men  who  for  their  talents  and  virtues  must 
be  considered  as  the  most  distinguished  of  their  nation,  and 
who  acted  under  all  circumstances  so  faithful  to  the  spirit 
of  the  Arabs,  that  they  must  be  regarded  as  their  represen- 
tatives. The  Islam  is,  therefore,  the  oflFspring  of  the  spirit 
of  the  time,  and  the  voice  of  the  Arabic  nation.  And  it  is 
this  which  made  it  victorious,  particularly  among  nations 
whose  habits  resemble  those  of  the  Arabs,  like  the  Berbers 
end  Tatars.  There  is,  however,  no  doubt  that  the  impos- 
tor has  defiled  it  by  his  immorality  and  perverseness  of 
mind,  and  that  most  of  the  objectionable  doctrines  are  hia. 
^.  174).— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  81 

the  Holj  Spirit;  and  six  legislators 
of  transcendent  brightness  ha^e  an- 
nounced to  mankind  the  six  successive 
revelations  of  various  rites,  but  of  one 
immutable  religion.  The  authority  and 
station  of  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham, 
Moses,  Christ,  and  Mahomet,  rise  in 
just  gradation  above  each  other;  but 
whosoever  hates  or  rejects  any  one  of 
the  prophets  is  numbered  with  the  infi- 
dels. The  writings  of  the  patriarchs 
were  extant  only  in  the  apocryphal 
copies  of  the  Greeks  and  Syrians:  the 
conduct  of  Adam  had  not  entitled  him 
to  the  gratitude  or  respect  of  his  chil- 
dren ;  the  seven  precepts  of  Koah  w^ere 
observed  by  an  inferior  and  imperfect 
class  of  the  proselytes  of  the  synagogue ; 
and  the  memory  of  Abraham  was  ob- 
scurely revered  by  the  Sabians  in  his 
native  land  of  Chaldsea  :  ^f  the  myriads 
of  prophets,  Moses  and  Christ  alone 
ived  and  reigned  ;  and  the  remnant  of 
6 


82  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  inspired  writings  was  comprised  in 
the  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
tament. The  miraculous  story  of  Moses 
is  consecrated  and  embellished  in  the 
Koran ;  and  the  captive  Jews  enjoy 
the  secret  revenge  of  imposing  their 
own  belief  on  the  nations  whose  recent 
creeds  they  deride.  For  the  author  of 
Christianity  5  the  Mahometans  are  taught 
by  the  prophet  to  entertain  a  high  and 
mysterious  reverence.  "  Yerily,  Christ 
Jesus,  the  son  of  Mary,  is  the  apostle 
of  God,  and  his  word,  which  he  convey- 
ed unto  Mary,  and  a  Spirit  proceeding 
from  him :  honorable  in  this  world, 
and  in  the  world  to  come  ;  and  one  ot 
those  who  approach  near  to  the  presence 
of  God."  The  wonders  of  the  genuine 
and  apocryphal  gospels  are  profusely 
heaped  on  his  head ;  and  the  Latin 
Church  has  •  not  disdained  to  borrow 
from  the  Koran  the  immaculate  concep- 
tion of  his  virgin  mother.     Yet  Jesua 


L^f<^  of  Mahomet.  83 

was  a  mere  mortal  ;  and,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  his  testimony  will  serve  to 
condemn  both  the  Jews,  who  reject  him 
as  a  prophet,  and  the  Christians,  who 
adore  him  as  the  Son  of  God.  The 
malice  of  his  enemies  aspersed  his 
reputation,  and  conspired  against  his 
life  ;  but  their  intention  only  was  guilty, 
a  phantom  or  a  criminal  was  substitut- 
ed on  the  cross,  and  the  innocent  saint 
was  translated  to  the  seventh  heaven. 
During  six  hundred  years  the  gospel 
was  the  way  of  truth  and  salvation  ;  but 
the  Christians  insensibly  forgot  both 
the  laws  and  the  example  of  their 
founder  ;  and  Mahomet  was  instructed 
by  the  Gnostics  to  accuse  the  church, 
as  well  as  the  synagogue,  of  corrupting 
the  integrity  of  the  sacred  text.  The 
piety  of  Moses  and  of  Christ  rejoiced  in 
the  assurance  cf  a  future  prophet,  more 
illustrious  than  themselves !  the  evan- 
ejelic  promise  of  the  Paraclete^  or  Holy 


84  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Ghost,  was  prefigured  in  the  name,  and 
accomplished  in  the  person,  of  Mahomet, 
the  greatest  and  last  of  the  apostles  of 
God. 

The  communication  of  ideas  requires 
a  similitude  of  thought  and  language 
the  discourse  of  a  philosopher  would 
vibrate  without  effect  on  the  ear  of  a 
peasant ;  jet  how  minute  is  the  distance 
of  tJieiT  understandings,  if  it  be  com- 
pared with  the  contact  of  an  infinite  and 
finite  mind,  with  the  word  of  God  ex- 
pressed by  the  tongue  or  the  pen  of  a 
mortal !  The  inspiration  of  the  Hebrew 
prophets,  of  the  apostles  and  evangelists 
of  Christ,  might  not  be  incompatible 
with  the  exercise  of  their  reason  and 
memory ;  and  the  diversity  of  their 
genius  is  stron/^ly  marked  in  the  style 
and  compositi/-.n  of  the  books  of  the  Old 
and  Kew  T/:stament.  But  Mahomet 
was  cortei't  with  a  character  more 
humUe^  yet  more  sublime,  of  a  simple 


^^f^  of  Mahomet.  85 

editor  :  the  substance  of  '  tlie  Koran,' 
according  to  himself  or  his  disciples,  is 
uncreated  and  eternal ;  subsisting  in 
the  essence  of  the  Deitj,  and  inscribed 
with  a  pen  of  light  on  the  table  of  his 
everlasting  decrees.  A  paper  copy,  in 
a  volume  of  silk  and  gems,  was  brought 
down  to  the  lowest  heaven  by  the  angel 
Gabriel,  who,  under  the  Jewish  econo- 
my, had  indeed  been  despatched  on  the 
most  important  errands  ;  and  this  trusty 
messenger  successively  revealed  the 
chapters  and  verses  to  the  Arabian 
prophet.  Instead  of  a  perpetual  and 
perfect  measure  of  the  divine  will,  the 
fragments  of  the  Koran  were  produced 
at  the  discretion  of  Mahomet;  each, 
revelation  is  suited  to  the  emergencies^ 
of  his  policy  or  passion ;  and  all  con^ 
tradiction  is  removed  by  the  saving 
maxim,  that  any  text  of  scripture  is 
abrogated  or  modified  by  any  subsequent 
passage.     The  word  of  God,  and  of  the 


86  Life  of  Mahomet. 

apostle,  was  diligently  recorded  by 
his  disciples  on  palm-leaves,  and  the 
shoulder-bones  of  mutton  ;  and  the 
pages,  without  order  and  connection, 
were  cast  into  a  domestic  chest  in 
the  custody  of  one  of  his  wives.  Two 
years  after  the  death  of  Mahomet,  the 
sacred  volume  was  collected  and  pub- 
lished by  his  friend  and  successor 
Abubeker :  *  the  work  was  revised  by 
the  caliph  Othman,  in  the  thirtieth 
year  of  the  Hegira ;  '^  and  the  various 

1  Abubeker,  at  the  suggestion  of  Omar,  gave  orders  for 
its  collection  and  publication ;  but  the  editorial  labor  was 
actually  performed  by  Zeid  Ibn  Thabit,  who  had  been  ono 
■)f  Mahomet's  secretaries.  He  is  related  to  have  gathered 
the  text — "from  date-leaves,  and  tablets  of  white  stone,  and 
from  the  breasts  of  men."  (Weil,  p.  848 ;  Calcutta  Eeview, 
No.  xxxvii.  p.  9).— S. 

2  The  recension  of  Othman  has  been  handed  down  to  us 
•inaltered.  Bo  carefully,  indeed,  has  it  been  preserved,  that 
there  are  no  variations  of  importance — we  might  almost  say 
no  variations  at  all— amongst  the  innumerable  copies  of  the 
Koran  scattered  throughout  the  vast  bounds  of  the  empire 
of  Iblam.  Contending  and  embittered  factions,  originating 
in  the  murder  of  Othman  himself,  within  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
Miry.from  the  death  of  Mahomet,  have  ever  since  rent  the 
♦lahoraetan  world.     Yet  but  one  Koran  has  always  been 


-^*/^  ^f  Mahomet.  87 

editions  of  the  Koran  assert  the  same 
miraculous  privilege  of  a  uniform  and 
incorruptible  text.  In  the  spirit  of 
enthusiasm  or  vanity,  the  prophet  rests 
the  truth  of  his  mission  on  the  merit  of 
his  book,  audaciously  challenges  both 
men  and  angels  to  imitate  the  beauties 
of  a  single  page,  and  presumes  to  assert 
that  God  alone  could  dictate  this  in- 
comparable performance.  This  argu- 
ment is  most  powerfully  addressed  to  a 
devout  Arabian,  whose  mind  is  attuned 
to  faith  and  rapture,  whose  ear  is  de- 
lighted by  the  music  of  sounds,  and 
whose  ignorance  is  incapable  of  corn- 
current  amongst  them ;  and  the  consentaneous  use  of  it  by- 
all,  up  to  the  present  day,  is  an  irrefragable  proof  that  we 
have  now  before  us  the  self-same  text  prepared  by  the  com- 
mands of  that  unfortunate  caliph.  There  is  probably  no 
other  work  which  has  remained  twelve  centuries  with  so 
Dure  a  text.  The  various  readings  are  wonderfully  few  in 
iiumber,  and  are  chiefly  confined  to  diflFerences  in  the  vowpI 
points  and  diacritical  signs ;  but  as  these  marks  were  in- 
vented at  a  later  date,  and  did  not  exist  at  all  in  the  early 
copies,  they  can  hardly  be  said  to  affect  the  text  of  Othman. 
•Calcutta  Eeview,  No.  xxxvii.  p.  11).— S. 


88  Life  of  Mahomet. 

paring  the  productions  of  human  ge- 
nius. The  harmony  and  copiousness 
of  style  will  not  reach,  in  a  version,  the 
European  infidel :  he  will  peruse  with 
impatience  the  endless  incoherent 
rhapsody  of  fable,  and  precept,  and 
declamation,  which  seldom  excites  a 
sentiment  or  an  idea,  which  sometimes 
crawls  in  the  dust,  and  is  sometimes 
lost  in  the  clouds.  The  divine  attributes 
exalt  the  fancy  of  the  Arabian  mission- 
ary ;  but  his  loftiest  strains  must  yield 
to  the  sublime  simplicity  of  the  book 
of  Job,  composed  in  a  remote  age,  in 
the  same  country,  and  in  the  same 
language.^  K  the  composition  of  the 
Koran  exceed  the  faculties  of  a  man,  to 
what  superior  intelligence  should  we 
ascribe   the   Iliad    of  Homer,    or    the 

1  The  age  of  the  book  of  Job  is  still,  and  probably  -wiU 

•till  be  disputed.    Eosenmuller  thus  states  his  own  opinion: 

Certe  serioribus  republicae  temporibus  assignandum  esse 

Ubrum,  suadere  videtur  ad  Chaldaismum  vergens  sermo. 

^et  the  observations  of  Kosegarten,  which  Eosenmuller  haf 


Life  of  Mahomet.  89 

Philippics  of  Demosthenes  %  In  all  re- 
ligions the  life  of  the  founder  supplies 
the  silence  of  his  written  revelation : 
the  sayings  of  Mahomet  were  so  many 
lessons  of  truth ;  his  actions  so  many 
examples  of  virtue  ;  and  the  public 
and  private  memorials  were  preserved 
by  his  wives  and  companions.  At  the 
end  of  two  hundred  years,  the  Sonna^ 
or  oral  law,  was  fixed  and  consecrated 
by  the  labors  of  Al  Bochari,  who  dis  • 
criminated  seven  thousand  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  genuine  traditions, 
from  a  mass  of  three  hundred  thousand 
reports,  of  a  more  doubtful  or  spurious 
character.*  Each  day  the  pious  author 
prayed  in  the  temple  of  Mecca,  and  per- 

given  in  a  note,  and  common  reason,  suggest  that  this  Chal- 
flaism  may  be  the  native  form  of  a  much  earlier  dialect;  or 
the  Chaldaic  may  have  adopted  the  poetical  archaisms  of  a 
dialect  diflFering  from,  but  not  less  ancient  than  the  Hebrew. 
(See  EosenmMler,  Proleg.  on  Job,  p.  41.)  The  poetry  appears 
to  me  to  belong  to  a  much  earlier  period, — M. 

*  The  numbers  were  much  more  disproportionate  than 
Wiese.  Out  of  600,000  traditions,  Bokhari  found  only  4000 
"O  be  ffenuine.  (Weil,  Gesch.  der  Chalifen,  vol.  i.  p.  291).— 8. 


90  Life  of  Mahomet. 

formed  his  ablutions  with  the  water  of 
Zeinzem :  the  pages  were  successively 
deposited  on  the  pulpit,  and  the  sep- 
ulchre of  the  apostle ;  and  the  work 
has  been  approved  by  the  four  orthodox 
sects  of  the  Sonnites. 

The  mission  of  the  ancient  prophets, 
of  Moses  and  of  Jesus,  had  been  con- 
firmed by  many  splendid  prodigies  ; 
and  Mahomet  was  repeatedly  urged, 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Mecca  and  Medina, 
to  produce  a  similar  evidence  of  his 
divine  legation ;  to  call  down  from 
heaven  the  angel  or  the  volume  of  his 
revelation,  to  create  a  garden  in  the 
desert,  or  to  kindle  a  conflagration  in 
the  unbelieving  city.  As  often  as  he  is 
pressed  by  the  demands  of  the  Koreish, 
le  involves  himself  in  the  obscure  boast 
of  vision  and  prophecy,  appeals  to  the 
internal  proofs  of  his  doctrine,  and 
fields  himself  behind  the  providence 
of   God,  who  refuses  those  signs  and 


Life  of  Mahomet.  91 

wonders  that  would  depreciate  the  merit 
of  faith,  and  aggravate  the  guilt  of  infi- 
delity. But  the  modest  or  angry  tone 
of  his  apologies  betrays  his  weakness 
and  vexation ;  and  these  passages  of 
scandal  establish,  beyond  suspicion,  the 
integrity  of  the  Koran.  The  votaries 
of  Mahomet  are  more  assured  than  him- 
self of  his  miraculous  gifts,  and  their 
confidence  a-nd  credulity  increase  as 
they  are  further  removed  from  the  time 
and  place  of  his  spiritual  exploits.  They 
believe  or  affirm  that  trees  went  forth 
to  meet  him ;  that  he  was  saluted  by 
stones ;  that  water  gushed  from  his 
fingers  ;  that  he  fed  the  hungry,  cured 
the  sick,  and  raised  the  dead ;  that  a 
beam  groaned  to  him ;  that  a  camel 
complained  to  him ;  that  a  shoulder  of 
mutton  informed  him  of  its  being  poi- 
soned ;  and  that  both  animate  and  in- 
?Lnimate  nature  were  equally  subject  to 
the  apostle  of  God.     His  dream  of  a 


92  Life  of  Mahomet. 

nocturnal  journey  is  seriously  described 
as  a  real  and  corporeal  transaction.  A 
mysterious  animal,'  the  Borak,  conveyed 
him  from  the  temple  of  Mecca  to  that 
of  Jerusalem :  with  his  companion 
Gabriel,  he  successively  ascended  the 
seven  heavens,  and  received  and  re- 
paid the  salutations  of  the  patriarchs, 
the  prophets,  and  the  angels,  in  their 
respective  mansions.  Beyond  the 
seventh  heaven,  Mahomet  alone  was 
permitted  to  proceed ;  he  passed  the 
veil  of  unity,  approached  within  two 
bow-shots  of  the  throne,  and  felt  a  cold 
that  pierced  him  to  the  heart,  when  his 
shoulder  was  touched  by  the  hand  of 
God.  After  this  familiar  though  im- 
portant conversation,  he  again  descend- 
ed to  Jerusalem,  remounted  the  Borak, 
returned  to  Mecca,  and  performed  in 
the  tenth  part  of  a  night  the  journey  of 
many  thousand  years.  According  to 
another  legend,  the  apostle  confounded 


Life  of  Mahomet.  93 

in  a  national  assembly  the  malicious 
challenge  of  the  Koreish.  His  resistless 
word  split  asunder  the  orb  of  the  moon  : 
the  obedient  planet  stooped  from  her 
station  in  the  sky,  accomplished  the 
seven  revolutions  round  the  Caaba,  sa- 
luted Mahomet  in  the  Arabian  tongue, 
and  suddenly  contracting  her  dimen- 
sions, entered  at  the  collar,  and  is- 
sued forth  through  the  sleeve,  of  his 
shirt.  The  vulgar  are  amused  with  the 
marvellous  tales ;  but  the  gravest  of 
the  Musulman  doctors  imitate  the 
modesty  of  their  master,  and  indulge  a 
latitude  of  faith  or  interpretation.  They 
might  speciously  allege,  that  in  preach- 
ing the  religion,  it  was  needless  to  vio- 
late the  harmony  of  nature ;  that  a 
creed  unclouded  with  mystery  may  be 
excused  from  miracles ;  and  that  the 
sword  of  Mahomet  was  not  less  potent 
than  the  rod  of  Moses. 
The  polytheist  is  oppressed  and  die- 


94  Life  of  Mahomet, 

tracted  by  the  variety  of  superstition  : 
a  thousand  rites  of  Egyptian  origin 
were  interwoven  with  the  essence  of 
the  Mosaic  law  ;  and  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  had  evaporated  in  the  pageantry 
of  the  church.  The  prophet  of  Mecca 
was  tempted  by  prejudice,  or  policy,  or 
patriotism,  to  sanctify  the  rites  of  the 
Arabians,  and  the  custom  of  visiting 
the  holy  stone  of  the  Caaba.  But  the 
precepts  of  Mahomet  himself  inculcate 
a  more  simple  and  rational  piety : 
prayer,  fasting,  and  alms,  are  the  re- 
ligious duties  of  a  Musulman ;  and  he 
is  encouraged  to  hope  that  prayer  will 
carry  him  half  way  to  God,  fasting  will 
bring  him  to  the  door  of  his  palace,  and 
alms  will  gain  him  admittance.  I.  Ac- 
cording to  the  tradition  of  the  noctur- 
nal journey,  the  apostle,  in  his  personal 
conference  with  the  Deity,  was  com- 
manded to  impose  on  his  disciples  the 
daily  obligation  of  fifty  prayers.      By 


L^f^  of  Mahomet.  95 

the  advice  of  Moses,  lie  applied  for  an 
alleviation  of  this  intolerable  burthen  ; 
the  number  was  gradually  reduced  to 
five ;  without  any  dispensation  of  busi- 
ness or  pleasure,  or  time  or  place  :  the 
devotion  of  the  faithful  is  repeated  at 
daybreak,  at  noon,  in  the  afternoon,  in 
the  evening,  and  at  the  first  watch  of 
the  night ;  and  in  the  present  decay  of 
religious  fervor,  our  travellers  are  edi- 
fied by  the  profound  humility  and  at- 
tention of  the  Turks  and  Persians. 
Cleanliness  is  the  key  of  prayer  :  the 
frequent  lustration  of  the  hands,  the 
face,  and  the  body,  which  was  practised 
of  old  by  the  Arabs,  is  solemnly  en- 
joined by  the  Koran  :  and  a  permission 
is  formally  granted  to  supply  with  sand 
the  scarcity  of  water.  The  words  and 
attitudes  of  supplication,  as  it  is  per- 
formed either  sitting,  or  standing,  or 
prostrate  on  the  ground,  are  prescribed 
by  custom  or  authority,  hut  the  prayer 


36  Xt/6  of  Mahomet, 

is  poured  forth  in  short  and  fervent 
ejaculations;  the  measure  of  zeal  is  not 
exhausted  by  a  tedious  liturgy  ;  and 
each  mussulman,  for  his  own  person 
is  invested  with  the  character  of  ? 
priest.  Among  the  theists,  who  reject 
the  use  of  images,  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  restrain  the  wanderings  of 
the  fancy,  by  directing  the  eye  and  the 
thought  towards  a  kehla^  or  visible  point 
of  the  horizon.  The  prophet  was  at 
first  inclined  to  gratify  the  Jews  by 
the  choice  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  he  soon 
returned  to  a  more  natural  partiality  ; 
and  five  times  every  day  the  eyes  of 
the  nations  at  Astracan,  at  Fez,  at  Delhi, 
are  devoutly  turned  to  the  holy  temple 
of  Mecca.  ^      Yet  e^ery  spot  for   the 

1  Mahomet  at  first  granted  tlie  Jews  many  privileges  in 
observing  their  ancient  customs,  and  especially  their  Sab- 
bath ;  and  he  himself  kept  the  fast  of  ten  days  with  which 
the  Jewish  year  begins.  But,  when  he  found  himself  de« 
eeived  in  his  expectations  of  converting  them,  these  privi 
eges  were  withdrawn.  Mecca  was  substituted  for  Jerusalem 
w  th«  kebla^  or  quarter  to  which  the  face  is  directed  durinj 


Life  of  Mahomet.  97 

service  of  God  is  equally  pure :  the 
Mahometans  indifferently  pray  in  their 
chamber  or  in  the  street.  As  a  dis- 
tinction from  the  Jews  and  Christians 
the  Friday  in  each  week  is  set  apart 
for  the  useful  institution  of  public  wor- 
Bhij) :  the  people  are  assembled  in  the 
mosch  :  and  the  imam,  some  respect- 
able elder,  ascends  the  pulpit,  to  begin 
the  prayer  and  pronounce  the  sermon. 
But  the  Mahometan  religion  is  destitute 
of  priesthood  or  sacrifice ;'  and  the  in- 

prayer ;  and,  in  place  of  the  Jewish  fast,  that  of  Eamadhan 
was  instituted.    (Weil,  Mohammed,  p.  90). — S. 

1  Mr.  Forster  (Mahometanism  Unveiled,  vol.  i.  p.  416) 
has  severely  rebuked  Gibbon  for  his  inaccuracy  in  saying 
that  "the  Mahometan  religion  is  destitute  of  priesthood  or 
'sacrifice  ;  "  but  this  expression  must  be  understood  of  the 
general  practice  of  the  Mahometans.  The  occasion  of  the 
jilgrimage  to  Mecca  formed  an  exception ;  and  Gibbon  has 
himself  observed  {supra,  p.  48)  that  "  the  pilgrimage  was 
achieved,  as  at  the  present  hour,  by  a  sacrifice  of  sheep  and 
eamels."  The  Koran  sanctions  sacrifice  on  th  occasion; 
»nd  Mahomet  himself,  in  his  last  pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  set 
Jie  example,  by  oflfering  up  with  his  own  hand  the  sixty- 
three  camels  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Medina, 
%rdering  Ali  to  do  the  like  with  the  thirty-seven  which  he 
tad  brought  from  Yemen.  (Weil,  Mohammed,  pp.  294,  317.) 

7 


98  Life  of  Mahomet. 

dependent  spirit  of  fanaticism  looks 
down  with  contempt  on  the  ministers 
and  slaves  of  superstition.  11.  The 
voluntary  penance  of  the  ascetics,  the 
torment  and  glory  of  their  lives,  was 
odious  to  a  prophet  who  censured  in  his 
companions  a  rash  vow  of  abstaining 
from  flesh,  and  women,  and  sleep  ;  and 
firmly  declared,  that  he  would  suffer  no 
monks  in  his  religion.  Yet  he  insti- 
tuted, in  each  year,  a  fast  of  thirty  days ; 
and  strenuously  recommended  the  ob- 
servance, as  a  discipline  which  purifies 
the  soul  and  subdues  the  body,  as  a 
salutary  exercise  of  obedience  to  the 
will  of  God  and  his  apostle.  During 
the  month  of  Ramadan,  from  the  rising 

This  ordinance  was  probably  a  sort  of  political  compromise 
with  the  ancient  idolatrous  rites  of  Mecca.  It  may  be  fur- 
ther remarked,  that  there  were  two  kinds  of  pilgrimage 
'.•iz.,  Hadj  and  Umra.  The  rites  accompanying  them,  how 
ever,  were  exactly  similar— tho  only  distinction  being  that 
the  former  took  place  only  on  the  appointed  festivals,  whils* 
the  latter  might  be  performed  all  the  year  round.  (lb.  p 
490).— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  99 

to  the  setting  of  the  sun,  the  Musul- 
man  abstains  from  eating,  and  drinking, 
and  women,  and  baths,  and  perfumes  ; 
from  all  nourishment  that  can  restore 
his  strength,  from  all  pleasure  that  can 
gratify  his  senses.  In  the  revolution 
of  the  lunar  year,  the  Kamadan  coin- 
cides, by  turns,  with  the  winter  cold 
and  the  summer  heat ;  and  the  patient 
martyr,  without  assuaging  his  thirst 
with  a  drop  of  water,  must  expect  the 
close  of  a  tedious  and  sultry  day.  The 
interdiction  of  wine,  peculiar  to  some 
orders  of  priests  or  hermits,  is  con- 
verted by  Mahomet  alone  into  a  posi- 
tive and  general  law ;  and  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  the  globe  has  abjured, 
at  his  command,  the  use  of  that  salu- 
tary, though  dangerous,  liquor.  These 
painful  restraints  are,  doubtless,  in- 
fringed by  the  libertine,  and  eluded  by 
the  hypocrite  ;  but  the  legislator,  by 
whom  they  are  enacted,  cannot  surely 


100  Life  of  Mahomet , 

be  accused  of  alluring  his  proselytes  by 
the  indulgence  of  their  sensual  appe- 
tities.*  in.  The  charity  of  the  Ma- 
hometans descends  to  the  animal  crea- 
tion ;  and  the  Koran  repeatedly  incul- 
cates, not  as  a  merit,  but  as  a  strict 
and  indispensable  duty,  the  relief  of 
the  indigent  and  unfortunate.  Ma- 
homet, perhaps,  is  the  only  law -giver 
who  has  defined  the  precise  measure  of 
charity :  the  standard  may  vary  with 
the  degree  and  nature  of  property,  as 
it  consists  either  in  money,  in  corn  or 
cattle,  in  fruits  or  merchandise ;  but 
the  Musulman  does  not  accomplish  the 
law,  unless  he  bestows  a  tenth  of  his 
revenue  ;  and  if  his  conscience  accuses 
him  of  fraud  or  extortion,  the  tenth, 
under  the  idea  of  restitution,  is  enlarged 

*  Forster  points  out  the  inconsistency  of  this  passage 
with  the  one  on  page  250  :  "  His  voice  invited  the  Arabs  t< 
freedom  and  victory,  to  arms  and  rapine,  to  the  indulgence 
Df  their  darling  passions  in  this  world  and  the  other."  (M» 
tometanism  Unveiled,  voL  ii.  p.  498.)— 9. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  101 

to  a  fifth.  Benevolence  is  the  founda- 
tion of  justice,  since  we  are  forbid  to 
injure  those  whom  we  are  bound  to  as- 
Bist.  A  prophet  maj  reveal  the  secrets 
of  heaven  and  of  futurity  ;  but  in  his 
moral  precepts  he  can  only  repeat  the 
lessons  of  our  own  hearts. 

The  two  articles  of  belief,  and  the 
four  practical  duties  of  Islam*  are  guard- 
ed by  rewards  and  punishments ;  and 
the  faith  of  the  Musulman  is  devoutly 
fixed  on  the  event  of  the  judgment  and 
the  last  day.  The  prophet  has  not  pre- 
sumed' to  determine  the  moment  of  that 
awful  catastrophe,  though  he  darkly 
announces  the  signs,  both  in  heaven  and 
earth,  which  will  precede  the  universal 
dissolution,  when  life  shall  be  destroyed, 
and  the  order  of  creation  shall  be  con- 

»  The/<wtr  practical  duties  are  prayer,  fasting,  alms,  and 
/lilgrimago.  (Weil,  Mohammed,  p.  288,  note.)  It  is  here  ob- 
vious that  Gibbon  had  not  overlooked  the  last,  though  he 
has  omitted  it  in  the  preceding  enumeration  of  the  ordi 
■nary  and  constant  duties  of  a  Musulman.— S. 


102  Life  of  Mahomet. 

founded  in  the  primitive  chaos.  At 
the  blast  of  the  trumpet,  new  worlds 
will  start  into  being  ;  angels,  genii,  and 
men,  will  arise  from  the  dead,  and  the 
human  soul  will  again  be  united  to  the 
body.  The  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
was  first  entertained  by  the  Egyptians ; 
and  their  mummies  were  embalmed, 
their  pyramids  were  constructed,  to  pre- 
serve the  ancient  mansion  of  the  soul, 
during  a  period  of  three  thousand  years. 
But  the  attempt  is  partial  and  una- 
vailing ;  and  it  is  with  a  more  philo- 
Bophic  spirit  that  Mahomet  relies  on 
the  omnipotence  of  the  Creator,  whose 
word  can  reanimate  the  breathless 
clay,  and  collect  the  innumerable  atoms, 
that  no  longer  retain  their  form  or 
Bubstance.  The  intermediate  state  of 
the  soul  it  is  hard  to  decide  ;  and  those 
who  most  firmly  believe  her  immaterial 
aature,  are  at  a  loss  to  understand  how 


L^f^'  of  Mahomet,  103 


Blie  can  think  or  act  without  the  agency 
of  the  organs  of  sense. 

The  reunion  of  the  soul  and  body  will 
be  followed  by  the  final  judgment  of 
mankind;  and,  in  his  copy  of  the 
Magian  picture,  the  prophet  has  too 
faithfully  represented  the  forms  of  pro- 
ceeding, and  even  the  slow  and  suc- 
cessive operations,  of  an  earthly  tri- 
bunal. By  his  intolerant  adversaries 
he  is  upbraided  for  extending,  even  to 
themselves,  the  hope  of  salvation,  for 
asserting  \h.Q  blackest  heresy,  that  every 
man  who  believes  in  God,  and  accom- 
plishes good  works,  may  expect  in  the 
last  day  a  favorable  sentence.  Such 
rational  indifference  is  ill  adapted  to 
the  character  of  a  fanatic ;  nor  is  it 
probable  that  a  messenger  from  heaven 
ehould  depreciate  the  value  and  neces- 
sity of  his  own  revelation.  In  the  idiom 
of  the  Koran,  the  belief  of  God  is  in- 
separable from  that  of  Mahomet :  the 


104  Zife  of  Mahomet. 

good  works  are  those  which  he.  had  en 
joined ;  and  the  two  qualifications  im 
ply  the  profession  of  Islam,  to  which 
all  nations  and  all  sects  are  equally  in- 
vited. Their  spiritual  blindness,  though 
excused  by  ignorance,  and  crowned 
with  virtue,  will  be  scourged  with  ever- 
lasting torments  ;  and  the  tears  which 
Mahomet  shed  over  the  tomb  of  his 
mother,  for  whom  he  was  forbidden  to 
pray,  display  a  striking  contrast  of  hu- 
manity and  enthusiasm.  The  doom  of 
the  infidels  is  common :  the  measure 
of  their  guilt  and  punishment  is  de- 
termined by  the  degree  of  evidence 
which  they  have  rejected,  by  the  mag- 
nitude of  the  errors  which  they  have 
entertained :  the  eternal  mansions  of 
the  Christians,  the  Jews,  the  Sabians, 
the  Magians,  and  the  idolaters,  are  sunk 
Delow  each  other  in  the  abyss  ;  and  the 
lowest  hell  is  reserved  for  the  faithless 
hypocrites  who  have  assumed  the  mask 


Life  of  Mahomet.  105 

of  religion.  After  the  greater  part  of 
mankind  has  been  condemned  for  their 
opinions,  the  true  believers  only  wiP. 
be  judged  by  their  actions.  The  gooa 
and  evil  of  each  Musulman  will  be  ac- 
curately weighed  in  a  real  or  allegori- 
cal balance,  and  a  singular  mode  of 
compensation  will  be  allowed  for  the 
payment  of  injuries  :  the  aggressor  will 
refund  an  equivalent  of  his  own  good 
actions,  for  the  benefit  of  the  person 
whom  he  has  wronged  ;  and  if  he  should 
be  destitute  of  any  moral  property,  the 
weight  of  his  sins  will  be  loaded  with 
an  adequate  share  of  the  demerits  of 
the  sufi*erer.  According  as  the  shares 
of  guilt  or  virtue  shall  preponderate, 
the  sentence  will  be  pronounced,  and 
all,  without  distinction,  will  pass  over 
the  sharp  and  perilous  bridge  of  the 
ftbyss;  but  the  innocent,  treading  in 
vhe  footsteps  of  Mahomet,will  gloriously 
enter  the  gates  of  paradise,  while  the 


106  Life  of  Mahomet, 

guilty  will  fall  into  the  first  and  mildest 
of  the  seven  hells.  The  term  of  expia- 
tion will  vary  from  nine  hundred  to 
seven  thousand  years ;  but  the  prophet 
has  judiciously  promised,  that  all  his 
disciples,  whatever  may  be  their  sins, 
shall  be  saved,  by  their  own  faith,  and 
his  intercession,from  eternal  damnation. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  superstition 
should  act  most  powerfully  on  the  fears 
of  her  votaries,  since  the  human  fancy 
can  paint  with  more  energy  the  misery 
than  the  bliss  of  a  future  life.  With 
the  two  simple  elements  of  darkness 
and  fire,  we  create  a  sensation  of  pain, 
which  may  be  aggravated  to  an  infinite 
degree  by  the  idea  of  endless  duration. 
But  the  same  idea  operates  with  an 
opposite  effect  on  the  continuity  of 
pleasure  ;  and  too  much  of  our  present 
enjoyments  is  obtained  from  the  relief, 
or  the  comparison,  of  evil.  It  is  natural 
enough  that  an  Arabian  prophet  should 


Life  of  Manomet.  107 


dwell  with  rapture  on  the  groves,  the 
fountains,  and  the  rivers,  of  paradise  ; 
but  instead  of  inspiring  the  blessed  in- 
habitants with  a  liberal  taste  for  har- 
mony and  science,  conversation  and 
friendship,  he  idly  celebrates  the  pearls 
and  diamonds,  tlie  robes  of  silk,  palaces 
of  marble,  dishes  of  gold,  rich  wines, 
artificial  dainties,  numerous  attendants, 
and  the  whole  train  of  sensual  and  costly 
luxury,  which  becomes  insipid  to  the 
owner,  even  in  the  short  period  of  this 
mortal  life.  Seventy-two  houris^  or 
black-eyed  girls,  of  resplendent  beauty, 
blooming  youth,  virgin  purity,  and  ex- 
quisite sensibility,  will  be  created  for 
the  use  of  the  meanest  believer  ;  a  mo- 
ment of  pleasure  will  be  prolonged  to 
a  thousand  years,  and  his  faculties  will 
be  increased  a  hundred-fold,  to  render 
him  worthy  of  his  felicity.  ITotwith- 
Btanding  a  vulgar  prejudice,  the  gates 
»f  heaven  will  be  open  to  both  sexes  ; 


108  Life  of  Mahomet. 

but  Mahomet  has  not  specified  the 
male  companions  of  the  female  elect, 
lest  he  should  either  alarm  the  jealousy 
of  their  former  husbands,  or  disturb 
their  felicity,  by  the  suspicion  of  an 
everlasting  marriage.  This  image  of  a 
carnal  paradise  has  provoked  the  indig- 
nation, perhaps  the  envy,  of  the  monks  ; 
they  declaim  against  the  impure  re- 
ligion of  Mahomet ;  and  his  modest 
apologists  are  driven  to  the  poor  excuse 
of  figures  and  allegories.  But  the 
sounder  and  more  consistent  party  ad- 
here, without  shame,  to  the  literal  in- 
terpretation of  the  Koran  :  useless  would 
be  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  unless 
it  were  restored  to  the  possession  and 
exercise  of  its  worthiest  faculties  ;  and 
the  union  of  sensual  and  intellectual 
enjoyment  is  requisite  to  complete  the 
happiness  of  the  double  animal,  the 
perfect  man.  Yet  the  joys  of  the  Ma- 
hometan paradise  will  not  be  confined 


Life  of  Mahomet.  109 

CO  the  indulgence  of  luxury  and  appe- 
tite ;  and  the  prophet  has  expressly  de- 
clared, that  all  meaner  happiness  will 
be  forgotten  and  despised  by  the  saints 
and  martyrs,  who  shall  be  admitted  to 
the  beatitude  of  the  divine  vision. 

The  first  and  most  arduous  conquests 
of  Mahomet  *  were  those  of  his  wife, 

1  The  original  materials  for  a  Life  of  Mahomet  are— I. 
The  Koran.— II.  The  traditions  of  Mahomet's  followers. — 
III.  Some  poetical  works. — IV,  The  earliest  Arabian  biog- 
raphies of  the  prophet. 

I.  The  Koran,  respecting  the  general  integrity  and  au- 
thenticity of  which  Oriental  scholars  are  agreed,  is  the  great 
storehouse  for  the  opinions  and  character  of  Mahomet ;  but 
the  events  of  his  outward  life,  and  their  connection,  are  de- 
rived almost  entirely  from  tradition. 

II.  After  Mahomet's  death,  such  of  his  followers  as  had 
been  much  about  his  person  {^Ashab^  "  companions  "),  were 
surrounded  by  pupils  who  had  not  seen  and  conversed  with 
him,  but  who  were  desirous  of  acquiring  information  from 
those  who  had  enjoyed  that  advantage.  This  second  gen- 
eration, who  were  called  Tabiys  (Tabiun,  "successors"), 
transmitted  in  turn  to  others  the  information  thus  acquired. 
Great  care  was  employed  in  comparing  and  sifting  these 
traditions,  which  were  derived  from  various  and  often  dis- 
tant sources;  and,  as  a  guarantee  of  authenticity,  the  name 
of  the  person  on  whose  authority  they  rested  was  transmit- 
ted along  with  them.  It  is  possible  that  some  of  them  may 
save  been  committed  to  writing  in  Mahomet's  lifetime;  but 


110  Life  of  Mahomet, 

his  servant,  his  pupil,  and  his  friend ; 
since  he  presented  himself  as  a  prophet 
to  those  who  were  most  conversant  with 

the  first  formal  collection  of  them  was  made  about  a  century 
after  his  death,  by  command  of  the  Caliph  Omar  II.  They 
multiplied  rapidly ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  books  of  the  his- 
torian Bokhari — who  died  only  about  two  centuries  after 
Mahomet — which  consisted  chiefly  of  these  traditions,  filled 
six  hundred  boxes,  each  a  load  for  two  men.  The  most  im 
portant  among  these  collections  are  the  six  canonical  ones 
of  the  Sunnies  and  four  of  the  Shiahs.  The  former  were 
compiled  under  the  infiuence  of  the  Abasside  caliphs,  and 
were  begun  in  the  reign  of  Al  Mamun.  The  Shiahs  were 
somewhat  later,  and  are  far  less  trustworthy  than  the  Sun- 
nies, being  composed  with  the  party  view  of  supporting  the 
claims  of  All  and  his  descendants  to  supreme  power. 

III.  Some  extant  Arabic  poems  were  probably  composed 
by  Mahomet's  contemporaries.  They  are  of  much  value,  as 
adding  confirmation  to  the  corresponding  traditions;  bul 
there  are  no  facts  in  the  prophet's  life  the  proof  of  whicl 
depends  upon  these  historical  remains.  Although,  there 
fore,  they  are  valuable  because  confirmatory  of  tradition 
their  practical  bearing  upon  the  biographical  elements  of  th« 
prophet's  life  is  not  of  so  much  interest  as  might  have  beer 
expected.  They  deserve,  indeed,  deep  attention,  as  tha 
earliest  literary  remains  of  a  period  which  contained  th& 
gsrm  of  such  mighty  events,  but  they  give  its  little  new 
Insight  into  the  history  or  character  of  Mahomet.  (Calcutta 
Eeview,  No.  xxxvii.  p.  66.) 

IV.  It  seems  that  regular  biographies  of  Mahomet  begaj 
to  be  composed  towards  the  end  of  the  first,  or  early  in  the 
second  century  of  the  Hegira ;  but  the  earliest  biographical 
fflTriters,  whose  works  are  extant  more  or  less  in  their  origl 


Life  of  Mahomet.  Ill 

his  infirmities  as  a  man.  Yet  Cadijah 
believed  the  words,  and  cherished  the 
glory,  of  her  husband ;  the  obsequious 

nal  state,  are— 1.  Ibn  Ishae;  2.  n»n  Hisham;  3.  Wackidi 
and  his  secretary ;  4.  Tabari. — 1.  Ibn  Isbac,  a  Tabiy,  died 
A.  H.  151  (A.  D.  763).  His  work,  which  was  composed  for 
the  caliph  Al  Mansur,  enjoys  a  high  reputatio]i  among  the 
Moslems ;  and  its  statements  have  been  incorporated  into 
most  of  the  subsequent  biographies  of  the  prophet.  Dr. 
Sprenger,  however,  (p.  69,)  though  hardly,  perhaps,  on  suffl 
cient  grounds,  regards  him  as  little  trustworthy,  and  doubts 
whether  his  book  has  come  down  to  us  in  its  original  form 
— 2.  Ibn  Ishac  was  succeeded  by  Ibn  Hisham  (died  A.  H.  213 
A.  D.  828),  whose  work,  still  extant,  is  founded  on  that  ol 
his  predecessor,  but  bears  the  reputation  of  being  still  le» 
trustworthy.— 3.  Wackidi,  born  at  Medina  about  A.  H.  129 
compiled  several  books  relating  to  Mahomet,  but  no  worft 
of  his  has  come  down  to  us  in  its  original  form.  The  fruift 
of  his  researches  were,  however,  collected  into  fifteen  lar^ 
quarto  volumes  by  his  secretary,  Mohammed  Ibn  Saaa 
The  first  of  these,  containing  the  SArat  or  biography  of  Ma 
hornet,  including  accounts  of  his  companions,  has  been  pr» 
served  in  its  genuine  form,  and  is  one  of  the  best  sources  of 
Information  respecting  the  prophet.  This  valuable  work 
was  discovered  by  Dr.  Sprenger  at  Cawnpore.  Dr.  Sprenger 
observes  that  "  this  is  by  far  the  best  biography  of  thfr 
Arabic  prophet,  but,  being  rare,  it  has  never  been  used  by 
aa  European  scholar.  The  veracity  and  knowledge  of  the 
•uthor  have  never  been  impugned  by  his  contemporaries, 
^or  by  good  early  writers."  It  is  generally  quoted  under 
the  name  of  "  Wackidi,"  probably  for  the  sake  of  brevity. 
The  carefully  collected  traditions  of  Wackidi  must  not  b 
eonfounded  with  the  romances  of  the  eighth  century  which 


112  Life  of  Mahomet, 

and  affectionate  Zeid  was  tempted  by 
the  prospect  of  freedom ;  the  illus- 
trious Ali,  the  son  of  Abu  Taleb,  em- 
bear  the  same  name,  and  which  form  the  basis  of  Ockley'g 
work. — 4.  Tabari,  the  most  celebrated  of  all  the  Arabic  his 
torians,  died  A.  II.  310  (A.  D.  929).  A  short  account  of  this 
writer  is  given  by  Gibbon  himself  (ch.  li.  note  11).  Tabari 
wrote  an  account  both  of  Mahomet's  life  and  of  the  progress 
of  Islam.  The  latter  has  long  been  known ;  and  a  portion 
of  it,  in  the  original  Arabic,  was  published,  with  a  Latin 
translation,  by  Kosegarten  in  1831.  But  the  earlier  part,  re- 
lating to  Mahomet,  could  be  read  only  in  an  untrustworthy 
Persian  translation  even  so  late  as  1851,  when  Dr.  Sprenger 
published  his  Life  of  Mahomet.  It  has,  however,  been  sub 
Bequently  discovered  in  the  original  language  by  that  gentle- 
man, during  his  mission  by  the  Indian  Government  to  search 
the  native  libraries  of  Lucknow.  To  Dr.  Sprenger,  therefore, 
belongs  the  honor  of  having  discovered  two  of  the  most 
valuable  works  respecting  the  history  of  Mahomet. 

But  even  the  most  authentic  traditions  respecting  Ma- 
homet have  been  corrupted  by  superstition,  faction,  and 
other  causes  ;  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  a  Euro- 
pean writer  must  exercise  the  most  careful  and  discrimi- 
nating criticism  in  the  use  of  them.  Inattention  to  this 
•)oint  is  the  defect  of  Gagnier's  otherwise  excellent  work. 

The  later  Arabic  biographers  of  Mahomet  are  entitled  to 
no  credit  as  independent  authorities.  They  could  add  no 
true  information,  but  they  often  add  many  spurious  tradi- 
tons  and  fabricated  stories  of  later  days.  Hence  such  a 
writer  as  Abulfeda,  whom  Gibbon  frequently  quotes,  is  of 
no  value  as  an  authority. 

The  best  recent  biographies  of  Mahomet  by  European» 
jre  Dr.  Sprenger's  Life  of  Mohammed  from  original  sources 


Life  of  Mahomet.  113 

oraced  the  sentiments  of  his  cousin  with 
the  spirit  of  a  youthful  hero ;  ^nd  the 
wealth,  the  moderation,  the  veracity  of 
Abubeker,*  confirmed  the  religion  of 
the  prophet  whom  he  was  destined  to 
succeed.  By  his  persuasion,  ten  of  the 
most  respectable  citizens  of  Mecca 
were  introduced  to  the  private  lessons 
of  Islam  ;  they  yielded  to  the  voice  of 

Allahabad,  1851,  and  Dr.  Weil's  Mohammed  der  Prophet 
Stuttgart,  1843.  Dr.  Sprengers  Life  (part  i.)  only  goes  down 
to  the  flight  from  Mecca,  but  it  is  a  very  valuable  contribu- 
tion to  Oriental  literature,  and  has  been  of  great  service  to 
the  editor  of  this  work. — S. 

^  Abubeker,  or,  more  properly,  Abu  Bakr,  literally,  "  the 
father  of  the  virgin  "—so  called  because  his  daughter  Ayesha 
was  the  only  maiden  whom  Mahomet  married — was  a 
wealthy  merchant  of  the  Taym  family,  much  respected  for 
his  benevolence  and  straightforward  dealing.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  to  accept  the  mission  of  the  prophet,  and  is  said 
to  have  believed  in  the  unity  of  God  before  that  event 
"The  faith  of  Abu  Bakr,"  says  Dr.  Sprenger,  "is  in  my 
opinion  the  greatest  guarantee  of  the  sincerity  of  Mohammed 
»t  the  beginning  of  his  career;  and  he  did  more  for  the  suc- 
»ess  of  Islam  than  the  prophet  himself.  His  having  joined 
Mohammed  lent  respectability  to  his  cause ;  he  sp\  it  seven- 
eighths  of  his  property,  which  amounted  to  40,000  dirhams, 
&t  a  thousand  pounds,  when  he  embraced  the  new  faith, 
towards  its  promotion  at  Mecca,  and  he  continued  the  same 
'ourse  of  liberality  at  Medina."  (p.  171.)— S. 


114  Life  of  Mahomet. 

reason  and  entliusiasm ;  they  repeated 
the  fundamental  creed,  "there  is  but 
one  God,  and  Mahomet  is  the  apostle 
of  God ;"  and  their  faith,  even  in  this 
life,  was  rewarded  with  riches  and 
honors,  with  the  command  of  armies 
and  the  government  of  kingdoms. 
Three  years  were  silently  employed  in 
the  conversion  of  fourteen  proselytes, 
the  first-fruits  of  his  mission  ;  but  in 
the  fourth  year  he  assumed  the  pro- 
phetic office,  and  resolving  to  impart 
to  his  family  the  light  of  divine  truth, 
he  prepared  a  banquet,  a  lamb,  as  it  is 
said,  and  a  bowl  of  milk,  for  the  enter- 
tainment of  forty  guests  of  the  race  of 
Hashem.  "  Friends  and  kinsmen," 
Baid  Mahomet  to  the  assembly,  "  I 
offer  you,  and  I  alone  can  offer,  the 
most  precious  of  gifts,  the  treasures  of 
this  world  and  of  the  world  to  come. 
God  has  commanded  me  to  call  you  tc 
his  service.     Who  among  you  will  sup 


Life  of  Mahomet.  116 

port  iny  burthen  ?  Who  among  you  will 
be  my  companion  and  my  vizir  ?  "  !N^o 
answer  was  returned,  till  the  silence 
of  astonishment,  and  doubt,  and  con- 
tempt, was  at  length  broken  by  the 
impatient  courage  of  Ali,  a  youth  in 
the  fourteenth  year  of  his  age.  "  O 
prophet,  I  am  the  man :  whosoever 
rises  against  thee,  I  will  dash  out  his 
teeth,  tear  out  his  eyes,  break  his  legs, 
rip  up  his  belly.  O  prophet,  I  will 
be  thy  vizir  over  them."  Mahomet 
accepted  his  offer  with  transport,  and 
Abu  Taleb  was  ironically  exhorted  to 
respect  the  superior  dignity  of  his  son. 
In  a  more  serious  tone,  the  father  of  Ali 
advised  his  nephew  to  relinquish  his 
impracticable  design.  "  Spare  your 
remonstrances,"  replied  the  intrepid 
fanatic  to  his  uncle  and  benefactor ;  "  il 
they  should  place  the  sun  on  my  right- 
hand,  and  the  moon  on  my  left,  they 
nhould  not  divert  me  from  my  courBe." 


116  Life  of  Mahomet. 

He  persevered  ten  years  in  the  exercise 
of  his  mission  ;  and  the  religion  which 
has  overspread  the  East  and  West,  ad 
vanced  with  a  slow  and  painful  prog- 
ress within  the  walls  of  Mecca.  Ye 
Mahomet  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of 
beholding  the  increase  of  his  infan 
congregation  of  Unitarians,  who  re 
vered  him  as  a  prophet,  and  to 
whom  he  seasonably  dispensed  the 
spiritual  nourishment  of  the  Koran. 
The  number  of  proselytes  may  be  esti- 
mated by  the  absence  of  eighty-three 
men  and  eighteen  women,  who  retired 
to  Ethiopia  in  the  seventh  year  of  his 
mission, '   and  his  party  was   fortified 

^  There  were  two  emigrations  to  Abyssinia.  The  first 
was  in  the  fifth  year  of  the  proph3t's  mission,  when  twelve 
men  and  four  women  emigrated.  They  returned  to  Mecca 
In  the  couree  of  the  same  year,  upon  hearing  that  a  recon- 
ciliation had  taken  place  between  the  prophet  and  his  ene- 
mies. The  second  emigration  was  in  the  seventh  year  of 
the  mission,  and  is  the  one  mentioned  in  the  text.  Omar 
had  been  converted  in  the  preceding  year,  the  sixth  of  the 
mission ;  and  after  his  conversion  the  number  of  the  faithfui 
vas  almost  immediately  doubled.  (Sprenger,  p.  1S2-189).— 8 


Life  of  Mahomet,  llY 

Dy  the  timely  conversion  of  his  uncle 
Hamza,  and  of  the  fierce  and  inflexible 
Omar,  who  signalized  in  the  cause  of 
Islam  the  same  zeal  which  he  had  ex- 
erted for  its  destruction.  ITor  was  the 
charity  of  Mahomet  confined  to  the 
tribe  of  Koreish,  or  the  precincts  of 
Mecca :  on  solemn  festivals,  in  the 
days  of  pilgrimage,  he  frequented  the 
Caaba,  accosted  the  strangers  of  every 
tribe,  and  urged,  both  in  private  con- 
verse and  public  discourse,  the  belief 
and  worship  of  a  sole  Deity.  Conscious 
of  his  reason  and  of  his  weakness,  he 
asserted  the  liberty  of  conscience,  and 
disclaimed  the  use  of  religious  violence  ; 
but  he  called  the  Arabs  to  repentance, 
and  conjured  them  to  remember  the 
ancient  idolaters  of  Ad  and  Thamud, 
whom  the  divine  justice  had  swept  away 
from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  people  of  Mecca  were  hardened 
•n  their   unbelief  by  superstition   and 


118  Life  of  Mahomet, 

envy.  The  eiders  of  the  city,  the  un- 
cies  of  the  propliet,  affected  to  despise 
the  presumption  of  an  orphan,  the  re- 
former of  his  country  :  the  pious  ora- 
tions of  Mahomet  in  the  Caaba  were 
answered  by  the  clamors  of  Abu  Taleb. 
"  Citizens  and  pilgrims,  listen  not  to 
the  tempter,  hearken  not  to  his  im- 
pious novelties.  Stand  fast  in  the  wor- 
ship of  Al  Lata  and  Al  TJzzah."  Yet 
the  son  of  Abdallah  was  ever  dear  to 
the  aged  chief;  and  he  protected  the 
fame  and  person  of  his  nephew  against 
the  assaults  of  the  Koreishites,  who  had 
long  been  jealous  of  the  pre-eminence 
of  the  family  of  Hashem.»  Their  malice 
was  colored  with  the  pretence  of  reli- 
gion :  in  the  age  of  Job,  the  crime  of 
impiety  was  punished  by  the  Arabian 
magistrate ;  and  Mahomet  was  guilty 

1  On  one  occasion  Mahomet  narrowly  escaped  being 
strangled  in  the  Caaba;  and  Abu  Bekr,  who  came  to  hia 
aid,  was  beaten  with  sandals  till  his  nose  was  flattened 
Well,  p.  56.)— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  119 

of  deserting  and  denying  the  national 
deities.  But  so  loose  was  the  policy  of 
Mecca,  that  the  leaders  of  the  Koreish, 
instead  of  accusing  a  criminal,  were 
compelled  to  employ  the  measures  of 
persuasion  or  violence.  They  repeatedly 
addressed  Abu  Taleb  in  the  style  of  re- 
proach and  menace.  "  Thy  nephew 
reviles  our  religion;  he  accuses  our 
wise  forefathers  of  ignorance  and  folly ; 
silence  him  quickly,  lest  he  kindle 
tumult  and  discord  in  the  city.  If  he 
persevere,  we  shall  draw  our  swords 
against  him  and  his  adherents,  and  thou 
wilt  be  responsible  for  the  blood  of  thy 
fellow-citizens."  The  weight  and  mod- 
eration of  Abu  Taleb  eluded  the  vio- 
lence of  religious  faction ;  the  most 
helpless  or  timid  of  the  disciples  retired 
to  Ethiopia,  and  the  prophet  withdrew 
himself  to  various  places  of  strength  in 
town  and  country. ^     As   he  was  still 

•  Especially  to  a  fortress  or  castle  in  a  defile  near  Mecca, 


120  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Bupported  by  his  family,  the  rest  of  the 
tribe  of  Koreish  engaged  themselves  to 
renounce  all  intercourse  with  the  chil- 
dren of  Hashem,  neither  to  buy  nor 
sell,  neither  to  marry  nor  to  give  in  mar- 
riage, but  to  pursue  them  with  impla 
cable  enmity ,till  they  should  deliver  the 
person  of  Mahomet  to  the  justice  of  the 
gods.  The  decree  was  suspended  in 
the  Caaba  before  the  eyes  of  the  nation  ; 
the  messengers  of  the  Koreish  pursued 
the  Musulman  exiles  in  the  heart  of 
Africa  :  they  besieged  the  prophet  and 
his  most  faithful  followers,  intercepted 
their  water,  and  inflamed  their  mutual 
animosity  by  the  retaliation  of  injuries 
and  insults.  A  doubtful  truce  restored 
the  appearances  of  concord,  till  the 
death  of  Abu  Taleb  abandoned  Ma- 
homet to  the  power  of  his  enemies,  a<" 

In  which  he  seems  to  have  spent  nearly  three  years,  often 
In  want  of  the  neoessarlos  of  life,  and  obliged  to  change  his 
led  every  night  for  fear  of  being  surprised  by 
(Weil,  p.  63.)-S. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  121 

the  moment  when  he  was  deprived  of 
his  domestic  comforts  by  the  loss  of  his 
faithful  and  generous  Cadijah.  Abu 
Sophian,  the  chief  of  the  branch  of 
Ommiyah,  succeeded  to  the  principality 
of  the  republic  of  Mecca.  A  zealous 
votary  of  the  idols,  a  mortal  foe  of  the 
line  of  Hashem,  he  convened  an  as- 
sembly of  the  Koreishites  and  their 
allies,  to  decide  the  fate  of  tlie  apostle. 
His  imprisonment  might  provoke  the 
despair  of  his  enthusiasm  ;  and  the  exile 
of  an  eloquent  and  popular  fanatic 
would  diffuse  the  mischief  through  the 
provinces  of  Arabia.  His  death  was 
resolved  ;  and  they  agreed  that  a  sword 
from  each  tribe  should  be  buried  in  his 
heart,  to  divide  the  guilt  of  his  blood, 
and  baffle  the  vengeance  of  the  Ha- 
shemites.  An  angel  or  a  spy  reveal- 
ed their  conspiracy,  and  flight  was  the 
^nly  resource  of  Mahomet.  At  the 
aead   of    night,   accompanied   by   his 


122  Life  of  Mahomet, 

friend  Abubeker,  he  silently  escaped 
from  his  house  :  the  assassins  watched 
at  the  door ;  but  they  were  deceived 
by  the  figure  of  Ali,  who  reposed  on 
the  bed,  and  was  covered  with  the 
green  vestment  of  the  apostle.  The  Ko- 
reish  respected  the  piety  of  the  heroic 
youth ;  but  some  verses  of  Ali,  which 
are  still  extant,  exhibit  an  interesting 
picture  of  his  anxiety,  his  tenderness, 
and  his  religious  confidence.  Three 
days  Mahomet  and  his  companion  were 
concealed  in  the  cave  of  Thor,  at  the 
distance  of  a  league  from  Mecca  ;  and 
in  the  close  of  each  evening,  they  re- 
ceived, from  the  son  and  daughter  of 
Abubeker,  a  secret  supply  of  intelli- 
gence and  food.  The  diligence  of  the 
Koreish  explored  every  haunt  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  city  :  they  arrived 
at  the  entrance  of  the  cavern ;  but  the 
providential  deceit  of  a  spider's  web 
and  a  pigeon's  nest,  is  supposed  to  con 


Life  of  Mahomet.  123 

vince  them  that  the  place  was  solitary 
and  inviolate.^  "  We  are  only  two," 
Baid  the  trembling  Abubeker.  "  There 
is  a  third,"  replied  the  prophet ;  "  it  is 
God  himself."  No  sooner  was  the  pur- 
suit abated,  than  the  two  fugitives  is- 
sued from  the  rock,  and  mounted  their 
camels  :  on  the  road  to  Medina,  they 
were  overtaken  by  the  emissaries  of  the 
Koreish ;  they  redeemed  themselves 
with  prayers  and  promises  from  their 
hands.  In  this  eventful  moment,  the 
lance  of  an  Arab  might  have  changed 
the  history  of  the  world.  The  flight  of  „ 
the  prophet  from  Mecca  to  Medina  has 
fixed  the  memorable  era  of  the  Hcgwa* 
which,  at  tlie  end  of  twelve  centuries, 

1  According  to  another  legend,  whicli  ia  less  known,  a 
I.  ee  grew  up  before  the  entrance  of  the  cavern,  at  the  com- 
viand  of  the  prophet.    (Weil,  p.  79,  note  96.)— S. 

a  The  Regiy'a  was  instituted  by  Omar,  the  second  caliph, 
n  imitation  of  the  era  of  the  martyrs  of  the  Christians 
(D'Herbelot,  p.  444) ;  and  properly  commenced  sixty-eight 
■^ys  before  the  flight  of  Mahomet,  with  the  first  of  Mohar- 
ren,  or  first  day  of  that  Arabian  year,  which  coincides 
with  Friday,  July  16th,  A.  D.  622.    (Abulfoda,  Vit.  Moham. 


124  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Btill  discriminates  the  lunar  years  of  the 
Mahometan  nations. 

The  religion  of  the  Koran  might  have 
perished  in  its  cradle,  had  not  Medina 
embraced  with  faith  and  reverence  the 
holy  outcasts  of  Mecca.  Medina,  or 
the  city^^  known  under  the  name  of 
Yathreb,  before  it  was  sanctified  by  the 
throne  of  the  prophet,  was  divided  be 
tween  the  tribes  of  the  Charegites"  and 
the  Awsites,  whose  hereditary  feud  was 
rekindled  by  the  slightest  provocations : 
two  colonies  of  Jews,  who  boasted  a 
sacerdotal  race,  were  their  humble 
allies,  and  without  converting  the 
Arabs,  they  introduced  the  taste  of 
science  and  religion,  which  distinguish- 
ed  Medina  as  the   city   of  the   Book. 

c.  22,  23,  p.  45-60 ;  and  Greaves's  edition  of  Ullug  Beg's 
Epochs  Arabum,  &c.  c.  1,  p.  8, 10,  &c.) 

1  It  was  at  first  called  Medinatalnabi,  "  tJie  city  of  the 
prophet;"  and  afterwards  simply  " the  city."  (Conde,  Hist 
de  la  Domination  des  Arabes,  i.  44.  note.)— S. 

3  More  properly  Chasrajites,  of  the  tribe  Chazr^j.  (Spren 
ger,  p.  203,  Weil,  p.  71.)— S. 


L^f^  of  Mahomet,  125 


Some  of  her  noblest  citizens,  in  a  pil- 
grimage to  the  Caaba,  were  converted 
by  the  preaching  of  Mahomet :  on  theii 
return  they  diffused  the  belief  of  God 
and  his  prophet,  and  the  new  alliance 
was  ratified  by  their  deputies  in  two 
secret  and  nocturnal  interviews  on  a 
hill  in  the  suburbs  of  Mecca.  In  the 
first,  ten  Charegites  and  two  Awsites 
united  in  faith  and  love,  protested  in 
the  name  of  their  wives,  their  children, 
and  their  absent  brethren,  that  they 
w^ould  for  ever  profess  the  creed,  and 
observe  the  precepts,  of  the  Koran.* 
The  second  was  a  politi  cal  association, 
the  first  vital  spark  of  the  empire  of  the 
Saracens.  Seventy-three  men  and  two 
women  of  Medina  held  a  solemn  con- 
ference with  Mahomet,  his  kinsmen,  and 
his  disciples ;  and  pledged  themselves 
to  each  other  by  a  mutual  oath  of  fidel- 

*  This  first  alliance  waa  called  "  the  agreement  of  wo- 
men," because  it  did  not  contain  the  duty  of  fighting  for  the 
Islam.    (Sprenger,  p.  203.)— S. 


126  Life  of  Mahomet. 

ity.  They  promised  in  the  name  of  the 
city,  that  if  he  should  be  banished,  they 
would  receive  him  as  a  confederate, 
obey  him  as  a  leader,  and  defend  him 
to  the  last  extremity,  like  their  wives 
and  children.  "  But  if  you  are  recalled 
by  your  country,"  they  asked  with  a 
flattering  anxiety,  "  will  you  not  aban- 
don your  new  allies  ?  "  "All  things," 
replied  Mahomet  with  a  smile,  "are 
now  common  between  us ;  your  blood 
is  as  my  blood,  your  ruin  as  my  ruin. 
We  are  bound  to  each  other  by  the  ties 
of  honor  and  interest.  I  am  your 
friend,  and  the  enemy  of  your  foes." 
"  But  if  we  are  killed  in  your  service, 
what,"  exclaimed  the  deputies  of  Me- 
dina, "  will  be  our  reward  ?  "  "  Para- 
dise," replied  the  prophet.  "Stretch 
forth  thy  hand."  He  stretched  it  forth, 
and  they  reiterated  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance and  fidelity.  Their  treaty  was 
ratified  by  the  people,  who  unanimous- 


Life  of  Mahomet.  127 

\j  embraced  the  profession  of  Islam  ; 
they  rejoiced  in  the  exile  of  the  apostle, 
but  thej  trembled  for  his  safety,  and 
impatiently  expected  his  arrival.  After 
a  perilous  and  rapid  journey  along  the 
sea-coast  he  halted  at  Koba,  two  miles 
from  the  city,  and  made  his  public  entry 
into  Medina,  sixteen  days  after  his  flight 
from  Mecca.  Five  hundred  of  the  citi- 
zens advanced  to  meet  him;  he  was 
hailed  with  acclamations  of  loyalty  and 
devotion  ;  Mahomet  was  mounted  on  a 
she-camel,  an  umbrella  shaded  his  head, 
and  a  turban  was  unfurled  before  him 
to  supply  the  deficiency  of  a  standard. 
His  bravest  disciples,  who  had  been 
scattered  by  the  storm,  assembled  round 
his  person ;  and  the  equal  though  vari- 
ous merit  of  the  Moslems  was  dis- 
tinguished by  the  names  of  Mohageri- 
ans  and  Ansars,  the  fugitives  of  Mecca, 
and  the  auxiliaries  of  Medina.  To 
eradicate  the  seeds   of  jealousy,  Ma- 


128  Life  of  Mahomet. 

hornet  judiciously  coupled  his  principal 
followers  with  the  rights  and  obligations 
of  brethren,  and  when  AH  found  him- 
self without  a  peer,  the  prophet  tender- 
ly declared,  that  he  would  be  the  com- 
panion and  brother  of  the  noble  youth. 
The  expedient  was  crowned  with  suc- 
cess ;  the  holy  fraternity  was  respected 
in  peace  and  war,  and  the  two  parties 
vied  with  each  other  in  a  generous 
emulation  of  courage  and  fidelity.  Once 
only  the  concord  was  slightly  ruffled 
by  an  accidental  quarrel ;  a  patriot  of 
Medina  arraigned  the  insolence  of  the 
strangers,  but  the  hint  of  their  expul- 
sion was  heard  with  abhorrence,  and  his 
own  son  most  eagerly  offered  to  lay  at 
the  apostle's  feet  the  head  of  his 
father. 

Fi-om  his  establishment  at  Medina, 
Mahomet  assumed  the  exercise  of  the 
regal  and  sacerdotal  office ;  and  it  was 
Impious  to  appeal  from  a  judge  who8« 


Life  of  Mahomet.  129 

decrees  were  inspired  by  the  divine  wis- 
dom. A  small  portion  of  ground,  tlie  pa- 
trimony of  two  orphans,  was  acquired  by 
gift  or  purchase  ;  on  that  chosen  spot, 
he  built  a  house  and  a  mosch,  more 
venerable  in  their  rude  simplicity  than 
the  palaces  and  temples  of  the  Assyrian 
caliphs.  His  seal  of  gold,  or  silver, 
was  inscribed  with  the  apostolic  title  ; 
when  he  prayed  and  preached  in  the 
weekly  assembly,  he  leaned  against  the 
trunk  of  a  palm-tree  ;  and  it  was  long 
before  he  indulged  himself  in  the  use 
of  a  chair  or  pulpit  of  rough  timber. 
After  a  reign  of  six  years,  fifteen  hun- 
dred Moslems,  in  arms  and  in  the 
field,  renewed  their  oath  of  allegi- 
ance ;  and  their  chief  repeated  the  as- 
surance of  protection  till  the  death 
of  the  last  member,  or  the  final  disso- 
'ution  of  the  party.  It  was  in  the  same 
«amp  that  the  deputy  of  Mecca  was 
astonished  by  the  attention  of  the  faith 
0 


130  Life  of  Mahomet. 

ful  to  the  words  aud  looks  of  the 
prophet,  by  the  eagerness  with  which 
they  collected  his  spittle,  a  hair  that 
dropt  on  the  ground,  the  refuse  water 
of  his  lustrations,  as  if  they  participated 
in  some  degree  of  the  prophetic  virtue. 
"  I  have  seen,"  said  he,  "  the  Chosroes 
of  Persia  and  the  Caesar  of  Eome,  but 
never  did  I  behold  a  king  among  his 
subjects  like  Mahomet  among  his  com- 
panions." The  devout  fervor  of  enthu- 
siasm acts  with  more  energy  and  truth 
than  the  cold  and  formal  servility  of 
courts. 

In  the  state  of  nature  every  man  has 
a  right  to  defend,  by  force  of  arms,  his 
person  and  his  possessions  ;  to  repel,  or 
even  to  prevent,  the  violence  of  his 
enemies,  and  to  extend  his  hostilities  to 
a  reasonable  measure  of  satisfaction  and 
retaliation.  In  the  free  society  of  the 
Arabs,  the  duties  of  subject  and  citizen 
imposed  a  feeble   restraint ;   and   Ma 


Life  of  Mahomet.  131 

hornet,  in  the  exercise  of  a  peaceful  and 
benevolent  mission,  had  been  despoiled 
and  banished  by  the  injustice  of  his 
countrymen.  The  choice  of  an  inde- 
pendent people  had  exalted  the  fugitive 
of  Mecca  to  the  rank  of  a  sovereign  ^ 
and  he  was  invested  with  the  just  pre 
rogative  of  forming  alliances,  and  of 
waging  offensive  or  defensive  war. 
The  imperfection  of  human  rights  was 
supplied  and  armed  by  the  plenitude 
of  divine  power :  the  prophet  of  Me- 
dina assumed,  in  his  new  revelations, 
a  fiercer  and  more  sanguinary  tone, 
which  proves  that  his  former  modera- 
tion was  the  effect  of  weakness:  the 
means  of  persuasion  had  been  tried, 
the  season  of  forbearance  was  elapsed, 
and  he  was  now  commanded  to  propa- 
gate his  religion  by  the  sword,  to  destroy 
the  monuments  of  idolatry,  and,  with- 
out regarding  the  sanctity  of  days  or 
months,   to    pursue    the     unbelieving 


132  Life  of  Mahomet, 

nations  of  the  earth.  The  same  bloody 
precepts,  so  repeatedly  inculcated  in 
the  Koran,  are  ascribed  by  the  author 
to  the  Pentateuch  and  the  Gospel. 
But  the  mild  tenor  of  the  evangelic 
style  may  explain  an  ambiguous  text, 
that  Jesus  did  not  bring  peace  on  the 
earth,  but  a  sword  :  his  patient  and 
humble  virtues  should  not  be  confound- 
ed with  the  intolerant  zeal  of  princes 
and  bishops,  who  have  disgraced  the 
name  of  his  disciples.  In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  religious  war,  Mahomet  might 
appeal  with  more  propriety  to  the  ex- 
ample of  Moses,  of  the  judges  and  the 
kings  of  Israel.  The  military  laws  of 
the  Hebrews  are  still  more  rigid  Ihan 
those  of  the  Arabian  legislator.  The 
Lord  of  hosts  marched  in  person  before 
the  Jews :  if  a  city  resisted  their  sum- 
mons, the  males,  without  distinction, 
were  put  to  the  sword :  the  seven 
nations  of    Caanan   were   devoted    to 


Life  of  Mahomet.  133 

destruction;  and  neither  repentance 
nor  conversion  could  shield  them  from 
the  inevitable  doom,  that  no  creature 
within  their  precincts  should  be  left 
alive.  The  fair  option  of  friendship,  or 
submission,  or  battle,  was  proposed  to 
the  enemies  of  Mahomet.  If  they  pro- 
fessed the  creed  of  Islam,  they  were  ad- 
mitted to  all  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
benefits  of  his  primitive  disciples,  and 
marched  under  the  same  banner  to  ex- 
tend the  religion  which  they  had  em- 
braced. The  clemency  of  the  prophet 
was  decided  by  his  interest,  yet  he  sel- 
dom trampled  on  a  prostrate  enemy ; 
and  he  seems  to  promise,  that,  on  the 
payment  of  a  tribute,  the  least  guilty  of 
his  unbelieving  subjects  might  be  in- 
dulged in  their  worship,  or  at  least 
in  their  imperfect  faith.  In  the  first 
months  of  his  reign,  he  practised  the 
lessons  of  holy  warfare,  and  displayed 
his  white  banner  before  the  gates  of 


134  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Medina  :  the  martial  apostle  fought  in 
person  at  nine  battles  or  sieges  ;  and 
Hftj  enterprises  of  war  were  achieved 
in  ten  years  by  himself  or  his  lieutenants. 
The  Arab  continued  to  unite  the  pro- 
fessions of  a  merchant  and  a  robber ; 
and  his  petty  excursions  for  the  defence 
or  the  attack  of  a  caravan  insensibly 
prepared  his  troops  for  the  conquest  of 
Arabia.  The  distribution  of  the  spoil 
was  regulated  by  a  divine  law  ;  the 
whole  was  faithfully  collected  in  one 
common  mass  :  a  fifth  of  the  gold  and 
silver,  the  prisoners  and  cattle,  the 
movables  and  immovables,  was  reserved 
by  the  prophet  for  pious  and  charitable 
uses ;  *  the  remainder  was  shared  in 
adequate  portions  by  the  soldiers  who 
had  obtained  the  victoiy  or  guarded  the 
camp  :  the  rewards  of  the  slain  devolved 

1  Before  the  time  of  Mahomet  it  was  customary  for  the 
head  of  the  tribe,  or  general,  to  retain  one-fourth  of  the 
oooty ;  80  that  this  new  regulation  must  have  been  regarded 
with  favor  by  the  army.    (Weil,  p.  111.)— S. 


Zife  of  Mahomee.  136 

»  - — 

vo  their  widows  and  orphans  ;  and  the 
increase  of  cavalry  was  encouraged  by 
the  allotment  of  a  double  share  to  the 
horse  and  to  the  man.  From  all  sides 
the  roving  Arabs  were  allured  to  the 
standard  of  religion  and  plunder :  the 
apostle  sanctified  the  licence  of  embrac- 
ing the  female  captives  as  their  wives 
or  concubines  ;  and  the  enjoyment  of 
wealth  and  beauty  was  a  feeble  type  of 
the  joys  of  paradise  prepared  for  the 
valiant  martyrs  of  the  faith.  "  The 
sword,"  says  Mahomet,  "  is  the  key  of 
heaven  and  of  hell :  a  drop  of  blood 
shed  in  the  cause  of  God,  a  night  spent 
in  arms,  is  of  more  avail  than  two 
months  of  fasting  or  prayer :  whosoever 
falls  in  battle,  his  sins  are  forgiven  :  at 
the  day  of  judgment  his  wounds  shall 
be  resplendent  as  vermilion,  and  odor- 
iferous as  musk ;  and  the  loss  of  hia 
limbs  shall  be  supplied  by  the  wings  of 
angels  and   cherubim."    The   intrepid 


136  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Bouls  of  the  Arabs  were  fired  with 
entliusiasm  :  the  picture  of  the  invisible 
world  was  strongly  painted  on  their 
imagination  ;  and  the  death  which  they 
had  always  despised  became  an  object 
of  hope  and  desire.  The  Koran  incnl 
cates,  in  the  most  absolute  sense,  the 
tenets  of  fate  and  predestination,  which 
would  extinguish  both  industry  and 
virtue,  if  the  actions  of  man  were  gov- 
erned by  his  speculative  belief.  Yet 
their  influence  in  every  age  has  exalted 
the  courage  of  the  Saracens  and  Turks. 
The  first  companions  of  Mahomet  ad 
vanced  to  battle  with  a  fearless  confi- 
dence :  there  is  no  danger  where  there 
is  no  chance  :  they  were  ordained  to 
perish  in  their  beds  ;  or  they  were  safe 
and  invulnerable  amidst  the  darts  of 
the  enemy. 

Perhaps  the  Koreish  would  have 
been  content  with  the  flight  of  Mahomet, 
had  they  not  been  provoked  and  alarm 


Life  of  Mahomet.  137 

ed  bj  the  vengeance  of  an  enem j,  who 
could  intercept  their  Syrian  trade  as  it 
passed  and  repassed  through  the  terri- 
tory of  Medina.  Abu  Sophian  himself, 
with  only  thirty  or  forty  followers,  con- 
ducted a  wealthy  caravan  of  a  thousand 
camels  ;  the  fortune  or  dexterity  of  his 
march  escaped  the  vigilance  of  Ma- 
homet ;  but  the  chief  of  the  Koreish 
was  informed  that  the  holy  robbers 
were  placed  in  ambush  to  await  his  re- 
turn. He  despatched  a  messenger  to 
his  brethren  of  Mecca,  and  they  were 
roused,  by  the  fear  of  losing  their  mer- 
chandise and  their  provisions,  unless 
they  hastened  to  his  relief  with  the 
military  force  of  the  city.  The  sacred 
band  of  Mahomet  was  formed  of  three 
hundred  and  thirteen  Moslems,  of  whom 
seventy-seven  were  fugitives,  and  the 
vest  auxiliaries  :  they  mounted  by  turns 
a  train  of  seventy  camels  (the  camels 
of  Yathreb  were  formidable  in  war)  ; 


138  Life  of  Mahomet. 

but  such  was  the  poverty  of  his  first  disci- 
ples that  only  two  could  appear  on  horse- 
back in  the  field.  In  the  fertile  and 
famous  vale  of  Beder,  three  stations 
from  Medina,  he  was  informed  by  his 
scouts  of  the  caravan  that  approached 
on  one  side ;  of  the  Koreish,  one  hun 
dred  horse,  ei^ht  hundred  and  fifty 
foot,'  who  advanced  on  the  other. 
After  a  short  debate,  he  sacrificed  the 
prospect  of  wealth  to  the  pursuit  of 
glory  and  revenge ;  and  a  slight  in- 
trenchment  was  formed,  to  cover  his 
troops,  and  a  stream  of  fresh  water  that 
glided  through  the  valley.  "  O  God," 
he  exclaimed,  as  the  numbers  of  the 
Koreish  descended  from  the  hills,  "  O 
God,  if  these  are  destroyed,  by  whom 
wilt  thou  be  worshipped  on  the  earth  ? — - 
Courage,  my  children,  close  your  ranks  ; 

»  Of  these,  however,  300  of  the  tribe  of  Zohra  returned 
to  Mecca  before  the  engagement,  and  were  joined  by  many 
fthers.  The  battle  began  with  a  fight,  like  that  of  tb  e  Hora 
tiiand  Curiatii,  of  throe  on  each  side.  (Weil,  p.  105-111.)— 8. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  139 

discharge  your  arrows,  and  the  day  is 
your  own."  At  these  words  he  placed 
himself,  with  Abubeker,  on  a  throne  of 
pulpit,  1  and  instantly  demanded  the 
succor  of  Gabriel  and  three  thousand 
angels.  His  eyes  were  fixed  on  the 
field  of  battle :  the  Musulmans  fainted 
and  were  pressed  :  in  that  decisive  mo- 
ment   the     prophet    started    from  his 

1  Weil  (p.  103)  calls  it  a  hut  (Hutte),  which  his  followers 
had  erected  for  him  on  a  gentle  eminence  near  the  field  of 
battle.  Gibbon  is  solicitous  for  the  reputation  of  Mahomet, 
whom  he  has  before  characterized  {supra,  p.  67,)  as  pos- 
sessing "the  courage  both  of  thought  and  action."  Weil, 
however,  draws  a  very  different  portrait  of  him  (p.  344.) 
"According  to  his  Musulman  biographers,  whom  Euro- 
peans have  followed  without  further  inquiry,  his  physical 
strength  was  accompanied  with  the  greatest  valor ;  yet  not 
only  is  this  assertion  destitute  of  all  proof,  but  his  behavior 
in  his  diflferent  campaigns,  as  well  as  in  the  first  years  of  his 
appearance  as  a  prophet,  and  also  towards  thp  close  of  hia 
life,  when  he  was  become  very  powerful,  compel  us,  despite 
his  endurance  and  perseverance,  to  characterize  him  as  very 
timorous.  It  was  not  till  after  the  conversion  of  Omar  and 
Hamza  that  he  ventured  openly  to  appear  in  the  mosque 
along  with  the  professors  of  his  faith,  as  a  Moslem.  He  not 
only  took  no  part  in  the  fight  in  the  battle  of  Bedr,  but 
kept  at  some  distance  from  the  field,  and  had  some  drome- 
daries ready  before  his  tent,  in  order  to  fly  in  case  of  a  re« 
««r6e."— 8. 


140  Life  of  Mahomet, 

throne,  mounted  his  horse,  and  cast  a 
handful  of  sand  into  the  air ;  "let  their 
faces  be  co\^ered  with  confusion." 
Both  armies  heard  the  thunder  of  his 
voice :  their  fancy  beheld  the  angelic 
warriors :  the  Koreish  trembled  and 
fled :  seventy  of  the  bravest  were  slain ; 
and  seventy  captives  adorned  the  first 
victory  of  the  faithful.  ^  The  dead 
bodies  of  the  Koreish  were  despoiled 
and  insulted  :  two  of  the  most  obnox- 
ious prisoners  were  punished  with  death; 
and  the  ransom  of  the  others,  four 
thousand  drachms  of  silver,  compensa- 
ted in  some  degree  the  escape  of  the 
caravan.  But  it  was  in  vain  that  the 
camels  of  Abu  Sophian  explored  a  new 
road  through  the  desert  and  along  the 
Euphrates  :  they  were  overtaken  by  the 

1  According  to  others,  44.  ("Weil,  p.  109.)  Among  the 
captives  was  Abbas,  the  rich  uncle  of  Mfvhomet,  who  was 
obliged  to  pay  ransom,  although  he  alleged  that  inwardly 
he  was  a  believer,  and  had  been  forced  to  take  part  in  the 
expedition.  He  returned  to  Mecca,  where,  it  is  said,  h« 
served  Mahomet  as  a  spy.    (lb.  p.  109-114.)— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  141 

diligence  of  the  Mnsiilmans ;  and 
wealthy  must  have  been  the  prize,  if 
twenty  thousand  drachms  could  be  set 
apart  for  the  fifth  of  the  apostle.  Tlie 
resentment  of  the  public  and  private 
loss  stimulated  Abu  Sophian  to  collect 
a  body  of  three  thousand  men,  seven 
hundred  of  whom  were  armed  with 
cuirasses,  and  two  hundred  were  mount- 
ed on  horseback  ;  three  thousand  camels 
attended  his  march ;  and  his  wife 
Henda,  with  fifteen  matrons  of  Mecca, 
incessantly  sounded  their  timbrels  to 
animate  the  troops,  and  to  magnify  the 
greatness  of  Hobal,  the  most  popular 
deity  of  the  Caaba.  The  standard  of 
God  and  Mahomet  was  upheld  by  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  believers:  the  dis- 
proportion of  numbers  was  not  more 
alarming  than  in  the  field  of  Beder; 
and  their  presumption  of  victory  pre- 
vailed against  the  divine  and  human 
Bense  of  the  apostle.*     The  second  bat- 

«  But  on  this  occasion  Abd  Allah,  with  200  men  abon- 


142  Life  of  Mahomet . 

tie  was  fought  on  Mount  Ohud,  six 
miles  to  the  north  of  Medina:  the 
Koreish  advanced  in  the  form  of  a 
crescent ;  and  the  right  wing  of  cavalry 
was  led  by  Caled,  the  fiercest  and  most 
successful  of  the  Arabian  warriors. 
The  troops  of  Mahomet  were  skilfully 
posted  on  the  declivity  of  a  hill,  and 
their  rear  was  guarded  by^a  detachment 
of  fifty  archers.  The  weight  of  their 
charge  impelled  and  broke  the  centre 
of  the  idolaters  ;  but  in  the  pursuit  they 
lost  the  advantage  of  their  ground  :  the 
archers  deserted  their  station:  the 
Musulmans  were  tempted  by  the 
spoil,  disobeyed  their  general,  and  dis- 
ordered their  ranks.  The  intrepid 
Caled,  wheeling  his  cavalry  on  their 
flank  and  rear,  exclaimed,  with  a  loud 
voice,  that  Mahomet  was  slain.  He 
was  indeed  wounded  in  the  face  with  a 

doned  Mahomet,  so  hat  the  disproportion  of  forces  was 
vastly  greater  than  at  Bedr.  See  note  *  supra,  page  189. 
(Weil,  p.  124.)-S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  143 

javelin  :  two  of  his  teeth  were  shatter- 
ed with  a  stone  ;  *  yet,  in  the  midst  of 
tumult  and  dismay,  he  reproached  the 
infidels  with  the  murder  of  a  prophet, 
and  blessed  the  friendly  hand  that 
stanched  his  blood,  and  conveyed  him 
to  a  place  of  safety.^  Seventy  martyrs 
died  for  the  sins  of  the  people :  they 
fell,  said  the  apostle,  in  pairs,  each 
brother  embracing  his  lifeless  compan- 
ion ;  their  bodies  were  mangled  by  the 
inhuman  females   of  Mecca  ;   and  the 

1  Two  of  Mahomet's  teeth  are  (or  were)  preserved  at 
Constantinople ;  but  as,  according  to  the  'best  authorities,  he 
only  lost  one  on  this  occasion,  one-half  at  least  of  these  rel- 
ics must  be  regarded  with  the  same  suspicion  that  attaches 
to  most  other  articles  of  the  same  description.  (See  Weil, 
p.  127.)— S. 

2  The  person  of  the  prophet  was  protected  by  a  helmet 
and  double  coat  of  mail.  He  was  recognized  among  the 
vounded  by  Caab,  the  son  of  Malek ;  by  whom,  Abu  Bakr, 
Omar,  and  ten  or  twelve  others,  he  was  carried  to  a  cave 
upon  an  eminence.  Here  he  was  pursued  by  Ubejj  Ibn 
Challa^  who  had  long  been  keeping  a  horse  in  extraordinary 
condition  for  the  purpose  of  surpris'ag  and  killing  Ma- 
homet ;  but  the  latter  dealt  him  a  blow  of  which  he  died. 
This  was  the  only  time  that  Mahomet  took  any  personal 
jhare  in  an  action.    (Weil,  p.  128.)— S. 


144  Life  of  Mahomet. 

wife  of  Abii  Sophian  tasted  the  entrails 
of  Hamza,  the  uncle  of  Mahomet.  They 
might  applaud  their  superstition,  and 
satiate  their  fury ;  but  the  Musulmans 
soon  rallied  in  the  field,  and  the  Koreish 
warkted  strength  or  courage  to  under- 
take the  siege  of  Medina.  It  was  at- 
tacked the  ensuing  year  by  an  army  of 
ten  thousand  enemies ;  and  this  third 
expedition  is  variously  named  from  the 
vmtionSj  which  marched  under  the 
banner  of  Abu  Sophian,  from  the  ditch 
which  was  drawn  before  the  city,  and 
a  camp  of  three  thousand  Musulmans. 
The  prudence  of  Mahomet  declined  a 
general  engagement :  the  valor  of  AH 
was  signalized  in  single  combat;  and 
>,he  war  was  protracted  twenty  days,  till 
•lie  final  separation  of  the  confederates. 
L  tempest  of  wind,  rain,  and  hail,  over- 
turned their  tents  ;  their  private  quar- 
rels were  fomented  by  an  insidious 
adversary ;  and  the   Koreish,  deserted 


L  ife  of  Mahomet.  146 

Dj  their  allies,  no  longer  hoped  to  sub- 
vert the  throne,  or  to  check  the  con- 
quests, of  their  invincible  exile. 

The  choice  of  Jerusalem  for  the  first 
kebla  of  prayer  discovers  the  early  pro- 
pensity of  Mahomet  in  favor  of  the 
Jews  ;  and  happy  would  it  have  been 
for  their  temporal  interest,  had  they 
recognized,  in  the  Arabian  prophet,  the 
hope  of  Israel  and  the  promised  Mes- 
siah. Their  obstinacy  converted  his 
friendship  into  implacable  hatred,  with 
which  he  pursued  that  unfortunate 
people  to  the  last  moment  of  his  life ; 
and  in  the  double  character  of  an 
apostle  and  a  conqueror,  his  persecution 
was  extended  to  both  worlds.  The 
Kainoka  dwelt  at  Medina  under  the 
protection  of  the  city  ;  he  seized  the 
occasion  of  an  accidental  tumult,  and 
summoned  them  to  embrace  his  re- 
ligion, or  contend  with  him  in  battle. 
''Alas,"  replied  the  trembling  Jews, 
30 


146  Life  of  Mahomet. 

"  we  are  ignorant  of  the  use  of  arms, 
but  we  persevere  in  the  faith  and  wor- 
ship of  our  fathers  ;  why  wilt  thou  re- 
duce us  to  the  necessity  of  a  just  de- 
fence ? "  The  unequal  conflict  was  ter- 
minated in  fifteen  days  ;  and  it  was 
with  extreme  reluctance  that  Mahomet 
yielded  to  the  importunity  of  his  allies, 
and  consented  to  spare  the  lives  of  the 
captives.  But  their  riches  were  con- 
fiscated, their  arms  became  more  effec- 
tual in  the  hands  of  the  Musulmans ; 
and  a  wretched  colony  of  seven  hun- 
dred exiles  was  driven  with  their  wives 
and  children  to  implore  a  refuge  on  the 
confines  of  Syria.  The  Nadhirites 
were  more  guilty,  since  they  conspired 
in  a  friendly  interview  to  assassinate 
the  prophet.  He  besieged  their  castle 
three  miles  from  Medina,  but  their  res- 
olute defence  obtained  an  honorable 
3apitulation  ;  and  the  garrison,  sounding 
their  trumpets  and  beating  their  drums, 


Life  of  Mahomet,  147 

vras  permitted  to  depart  with  the 
honors  of  war.  The  Jews  had  excited 
and  joined  the  war  of  the  Koreish:  no' 
sooner  had  the  nations  retired  from  the 
ditcli^  than  Mahomet,  without  laying 
aside  his  armor,  marched  on  the  same 
day  to  extirpate  the  hostile  race  of  the 
children  of  Koraidha.  After  a  resist- 
ance of  twenty-five  days,  they  sur- 
rendered at  discretion.  They  trusted 
to  the  intercession  of  their  old  allies  of 
Medina:  they  could  not  be  ignorant 
that  fanaticism  obliterates  the  feelings 
of  humanity.  A  venerable  elder,  to 
whose  judgment  they  appealed,  pro- 
nounced the  sentence  of  their  death : 
seyen  hundred  Jews  were  dragged  in 
chains  to  the  market-place  of  the  city  ; 
they  descended  alive  into  the  grave 
prepared  for  their  execution  and  burial ; 
and  the  apostle  beheld  with  an  inflexible 
eye  the  slaughter  of  his  helpless  en- 
emies.    Their  sheep  and  camels  were 


148  Life  of  Mahomet, 

inherited  by  the  Musuhnans:  three 
hundred  cuirasses,  five  hundred  pikes, 
a  thousand  lances,  composed  the  most 
useful  portion  of  the  spoil.  Six  days' 
journey  to  the  north-east  of  Medina, 
the  ancient  and  wealthy  town  of  Chai- 
bar,  was  the  seat  of  the  Jewish  power 
in  Arabia  :  the  territory,  a  fertile  spot 
in  the  desert,  was  covered  with  planta- 
tions and  cattle,  and  protected  by  eight 
castles,  some  of  which  were  esteemed 
of  impregnable  strength.  The  forces 
of  Mahomet  consisted  of  two  hundred 
horse  and  fourteen  hundred  foot :  in 
the  succession  of  eight  regular  and 
painful  sieges  they  were  exposed  to 
danger,  and  fatigue,  and  hunger  ;  and 
the  most  undaunted  chiefs  despaired  of 
the  event.  The  apostle  revived  their 
faith  and  courage  by  the  example  of 
Ali,  on  whom  he  bestowed  the  surname 
of  the  Lion  of  God :  perhaps  we  may 
jelieve  that  a  Hebrew  champion   of 


Life  of  Mahomet,  149 

gigantic  stature  was  cloven  to  the 
chest  bj  his  irresistible  scymitar ;  but 
we  cannot  praise  the  modesty  of  ro- 
mance, which  represents  him  as  tearing 
from  its  hinges  the  gate  of  a  fortress, 
and  wielding  the  ponderous  buckler  in 
his  left  hand.  After  the  reduction  of 
the  castles,  the  town  of  Chaibar  sub- 
mitted to  the  yoke.  The  chief  of  the 
tribe  was  tortured,  in  the  presence  of 
Mahomet,  to  force  a  confession  of  his 
hidden  treasure  :  the  industry  of  the 
shepherds  and  husbandmen  was  re- 
warded with  a  precarious  toleration : 
they  were  permitted,  so  long  as  it 
should  please  the  conqueror,  to  im« 
prove  their  patrimony,  in  equal  shares, 
for  his  emolument  and  their  own.  Un- 
der the  reign  of  Omar,  the  Jews  of 
Chaibar  were  transplanted  to  Syria ; 
and  the  caliph  alleged  the  injunction 
of  his  dying  master,  that  one  and  the 


160  Life  of  Mahomet. 

true  religion  should  be  professed  in  his 
native  land  of  Arabia. 

Five  times  each  day  the  eyes  of 
Mahomet  were  turned  towards  Mecca, 
and  he  was  urged  by  the  most  sacred 
and  powerful  motives  to  revisit,  as  a 
conqueror,  the  city  and  temple  from 
whence  he  had  been  driven  as  an  exile. 
The  Caaba  was  present  to  his  waking 
and  sleeping  fancy  :  an  idle  dream  was 
translated  into  vision  and  prophecy ;  he 
unfurled  the  holy  banner ;  and  a  rash 
promise  of  success  too  hastily  dropped 
from  the  lips  of  the  apostle.  His  march 
from  Medina  to  Mecca  displayed  the 
peaceful  and  solemn  pomp  of  a  pilgri- 
mage :  seventy  camels  chosen  and  be- 
decked for  sacrifice,  preceded  the  van  ; 
the  sacred  territory  was  respected  ; 
and  the  captives  were  dismissed  with- 
out ransom  to  proclaim  his  clemency 
and  devotion.  But  no  sooner  did  Ma 
hornet  descend  into  the  plain,  within  a 


Life  of  Mahomet.  151 

day's  journey  of  the  city,  than  he  ex> 
claimed,  "they  have  clothed  themselves 
with  the  skins  of  tigers  :  "  the  numbers 
and  resolution  of  the  Koreish  opposed 
his  progress  ;  and  the  roving  Arabs 
of  the  desert  might  desert  or  betray 
a  leader  whom  they  had  followed  for 
the  hopes  of  spoil.  The  intrepid  fanatic 
sunk  into  a  cool  and  cautions  politi- 
cian :  he  waved  in  the  treaty  his  title 
of  apostle  of  God/  concluded  with  the 
Koreish  and  their  allies  a  truce  of  ten 
years,  engaged  to  restore  the  fugitives 
of  Mecca  who  should  embrace  his  re- 
ligion, and  stipulated  only,  for  the  en- 
suing year,  the  humble  privilege  of 
entering  the  city  as  a  friend,  and  of 
remaining  three  days  to  accomplish  the 
rites  of  the  pilgrimage.  A  cloud  of 
Bhame  and  sorrow  hung  on  the  retreat 
of   the   Musulmans,  and   their   disap- 

'  He  strnck  out  the  title  with  hia  own  htnd^  as  All  had 
■afhsed  to  do  it.    (Weil,  p.  l^S.)— 8. 


152  Life  of  Mahomet. 

pointment  might  j  ustly  accuse  the  fail- 
ure of  a  prophet  who  had  so  often 
appealed  to  the  evidence  of  success. 
The  faith  and  hope  of  the  pilgrims 
were  rekindled  bj  the  prospect  of  Mec- 
ca ;  their  swords  were  sheathed  :  seven 
times  in  the  footsteps  of  the  apostle 
they  encompassed  the  Caaba :  the  Ko- 
reish  had  retired  to  the  hills,  and  Ma- 
homet, after  the  customary  sacrifice, 
evacuated  the  city  on  the  fourth  day. 
The  people  was  edified  by  his  devotion  ; 
the  hostile  chiefs  were  awed,  or  divid- 
ed, or  seduced  ;  and  both  Caled  and 
Amrou,  the  future  conquerors  of  Syria 
and  Egypt,  most  seaonably  deserted 
the  sinking  cause  of  idolatry.  The 
power  of  Mahomet  was  increased  by 
the  submission  of  the  Arabian  tribes ; 
ten  thousand  soldiers  were  assembled 
for  the  conquest  of  Mecca  ;*  and  the 

»  The  expedition  of  Mahomet  against  Mecca  took  place 
In  the  10th  Ramadhan  of  the  8th  Hegira  (1  Jan.  6S0).  ("WeH, 
p.  212.)— S. 


Lif^'  of  Mahomet,  153 

idolaters,  the  weaker  party,  were  easily 
convicted  of  violating  the  truce.  En- 
thusiasm and  discipline  impelled  the 
march  and  preserved  the  secret,  till  the 
blaze  of  ten  thousand  fires  proclaimed 
to  the  astonished  Koreish  the  design, 
the  approach,  and  the  irresistible  force 
of  the  enemy.  The  haughty  Abu  So- 
phian  presented  the  keys  of  the  city  ; 
admired  the  variety  of  arms  and  en- 
signs that  passed  before  him  in  review ; 
observed  that  the  son  of  Abdallah  had 
acquired  a  mighty  kingdom  ;  and  con- 
fessed,under  the  scymitar  of  Omar,  that 
he  was  the  apostle  of  the  true  God. 
The  return  of  Marius  and  Sylla  was 
Btained  with  the  blood  of  the  Romans  : 
the  revenge  of  Mahomet  was  stimulated 
by  religious  zeal,  and  his  injured  follow- 
ers were  eager  to  execute  or  to  prevent 
the  order  of  a  massacre.  Instead  of 
indulging  their  passions  and  his  own, 
the  victorious  exile  forgave  the  guilt, 


164  Life  0/  Mahomet, 

and  united  the  factions  of  Mecca.  His 
troops,  in  tiiree  divisions,  marched  into 
the  city :  eight  and  twenty  of  the  in- 
habitants were  slain  by  the  sword  of 
Caled  ;^  eleven  men  and  six  women 
were  proscribed  by  the  sentence  of 
Mahomet ;''  but  he  blamed  the  cruelty 

1  These  men— their  numbers  are  variously  given  at  less 
and  more — were  slain  on  the  hill  called  Chandama,  "before 
the  entrance  of  Chaled  into  the  city,  which  they  had  op- 
posed. It  was  on  a  different  occasion  that  Chaled  incurred 
the  censure  of  Mahomet.  The  prophet  had  sent  him  on  an 
expedition  to  the  province  of  Tehama,  and,  on  passing 
through  the  territoiy  of  the  Beni  Djasima,  Chaled  caused  a 
considerable  number  of  them  to  be  put  to  death,  although 
they  were  already  Musulmans.  Unfortunately,  when  re- 
quired to  confess  their  faith,  they  had,  from  ancient  cus- 
tom, used  the  word  Saba'  na,  (converts  or  renegades,)  in- 
stead of  the  usual  Moslem  expression,  Asktmna.  On  hear- 
ing of  the  act,  Mahomet  raised  his  hands  to  heaven,  and  ex- 
claimed, "  O  God,  I  am  pure  before  thee,  and  have  taken 
no  part  in  Chaled's  deed."  Mahomet  compensated  the  Beni 
Djasima  for  the  Blaughter  of  their  kinsmen ;  but  the  ser- 
vices of  Chaled  obliged  him  to  overlook  his  offence.  (Weil, 
p.  230.)— S. 

2  Eleven  men  and  four  women ;  but  the  sentence  was 
executed  only  on  three  of  the  former  and  one  of  the  latter. 
(Weil,  p.  220.)  Mahomet  remained  two  or  three  weeks  in 
Mecca,  during  which  he  sent  his  captains  to  destroy  the 
Idols  in  the  surrounding  country,  and  to  summon  the  Ara- 
bians tj>  aabmission  and  beliefl    (Weil,  p.  228.-8.) 


Life  of  Mahomet.  155 

of  his  lieutenant ;  and  several  of  the 
most  obnoxious  victims  were  indebted 
for  their  lives  to  his  clemency  or  con- 
tempt. The  chiefs  of  the  Koreish 
were  prostrate  at  his  feet.  "What 
mercy  can  yon  expect  from  the  man 
whom  you  have  wronged  ? "  "  We  con- 
fide in  the  generosity  of  our  kinsman." 
"  And  you  shall  not  confide  in  vain  : 
begone !  your  are  safe,  you  are  free." 
The  people  of  Mecca  deserved  their 
pardon  by  the  profession  of  Islam  ;  and 
after  an  exile  of  seven  years,  the  fugi- 
tive missionary  was  enthroned  as  the 
prince  and  prophet  of  his  native  coun- 
try. But  the  three  hundred  and  sixty 
idols  of  the  Caaba  were  ignominiously 
broken  :  the  house  of  God  was  purified 
and  adorned ;  as  an  example  to  future 
times,  the  apostle  again  fulfilled  the  du- 
ties of  a  pilgrim  ;  and  a  perpetual  law 
was  enacted  that  no  unbeliever  should 


156  Life  of  Mahomet. 

dare  to  set  his  foot  on  the  territory  of 
the  holy  city. 

The  conquest  of  Mecca  determined 
the  faith  and  obedience  of  the  Arabian 
tribes ;  who,  according  to  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  fortune,  had  obeyed,  or  disre- 
garded, the  eloquence  or  the  arms  of 
the  pBophet.  Indifference  for  rites  and 
opinions  still  marks  the  character  of 
the  Bedoweens  ;  and  they  might  accept, 
as  loosely  as  they  hold,  the  doctrine  of 
the  Koran.  Yet  an  obstinate  remnant 
still  adhered  to  the  religion  and  liberty 
of  their  ancestors,  and  the  war  of  Ho- 
nain  derived  a  proper  appellation  from 
the  idols^  whom  Mahomet  had  vowed  to 
destroy,  and  whom  the  confederates  of 
Tayef  had  sworn  to  defend.  Four  thou- 
sand pagans  advanced  with  secrecy  and 
speed  to  surprise  the  conqueror :  they 
pitied  and  despised  the  supine  negli 
gence  of  the  Koreish,  but  they  depended 
on  the  wishes,  and  perhaps  the  aid,  of 


Life  of  Mahomet.  157 

a  people  who  had  so  lately  renounced 
their  gods,  and  bowed  beneath  the 
yoke  of  their  enemy.  The  banners  of 
Medina  and  Mecca  were  displayed  by 
the  prophet ;  a  crowd  of  Bedoweens  in- 
creased the  strength  or  numbers  of  the 
army,  and  twelve  thousand  Musul- 
mans  entertained  a  rash  and  sinful  pre- 
sumption of  their  invincible  strength. 
They  descended  without  precaution  into 
the  valley  of  Honain  :  the  heights  had 
been  occupied  by  the  archers  and  siing- 
ers  of  the  confederates  ;  their  numbers 
were  oppressed,  their  discipline  was 
confounded,  their  courage  was  appalled, 
and  the  Koreish  smiled  at  their  im- 
pending destruction.  The  prophet  on 
his  white  mule,  was  encompassed  by  the 
enemies  :  he  attemped  to  rush  against 
their  spears  in  search  of  a  glorious 
death  :  ten  of  his  faithful  companions 
mterposed  their  weapons  and  their 
breasts ;  three  of  these  fell  dead  at  his 


158  Life  of  Mahomet, 

feet:  "O  my  brethren,"  he  repeatedly 
cried  with  sorrow  and  indignation,  "1 
am  the  son  of  Abdallah,  I  am  the  apos- 
tle of  truth  !  O  man,  stand  fast  in  the 
faith !  O  God,  send  down  thy  suc- 
cor!" His  uncle  Abbas,  who,  like 
the  heroes  of  Homer,  excelled  in  the 
loudness  of  his  voice,  made  the  valley 
resound  with  the  recital  of  the  gifts  and 
promises  of  God  :  the  flying  Moslems 
returned  from  all  sides  to  the  holy 
standard  ;  and  Mahomet  observed  with 
pleasure,  that  the  furnace  was  again  re- 
kindled :  his  conduct  and  example  re- 
stored the  battle,  and  he  animated  his 
victorious  troops  to  inflict  a  merciless 
revenge  on  the  authors  of  their  shame. 
From  the  field  of  Honain,  he  marched 
without  delay  to  the  siege  of  Tayef,  sixty 
miles  to  the  south-east  of  Mecca,  a  for- 
tress of  strength,  whose  fertile  lands 
produce  the  fruits  of  Syria  in  the 
midst  of  the  Arabian  desert.  A  friend 
7 


Life  of  Mahomet.  159 

ly  tribe,  instructed  (I  know  not  how) 
in  the  art  of  sieges,  supplied  him  with 
a  train  of  battering  rams  and  military 
engines,  with  a  body  of  five  hundred 
artificers.  But  it  was  in  vain  that  he 
offered  freedom  to  the  slaves  of  Tayef ; 
that  he  violated  his  own  laws  by  the 
extirpation  of  the  fruit-trees ;  that  the 
ground  was  opened  by  the  miners ; 
that  the  breach  was  assaulted  by  the 
troops.  After  a  siege  of  twenty  days, 
the  prophet  sounded  a  retreat ;  but  he 
retreated  with  a  song  of  devout  tri- 
umph, and  affected  to  pray  for  the  re- 
pentance and  safety  of  the  unbelieving 
city.  Tlie  spoil  of  this  fortunate  expe- 
dition amounted  to  six  thousand  cap- 
tives, twenty-four  thousand  camels, 
forty  thousand  sheep,  and  four  thousand 
ounces  of  silver :  a  tribe  who  had  fought 
at  Honain  redeemed  their  prisoners  by 
the  sacrifice  of  their  idols  :  but  Mahomet 
compensated  the  loss,  by  resigning  to 


160  Life  of  Mahomet. 

the  soldiers  his  tifth  of  the  plunder, 
and  wished,  for  their  sake,  that  he  pos- 
sessed as  many  head  of  cattle  as  there 
were  trees  in  the  province  of  Tehama. 
Instead  of  chastising  the  disaffection  of 
the  Koreish,  he  endeavored  to  cut  out 
their  tongues,  (his  own  expression,) 
and  to  secure  their  attachment  by  a 
superior  measure  of  liberality  :  Abu  So- 
phian  alone  was  presented  with  three 
hundred  camels  and  twenty  ounces  of 
silver  ;  and  Mecca  was  sincerely  con- 
verted to  the  profitable  religion  of  the 
.Koran. 

The  fugitives  and  auxiliaries  com- 
plained, that  they  who  had  borne  the 
burthen  were  neglected  in  the  season 
of  victory.  "  Alas,"  replied  their  art- 
ful leader,  "  suffer  me  to  conciliate  these 
recent  enemies,  these  doubtful  prose- 
lytes, by  the  gift  of  some  perishable 
goods.  To  your  guard  I  intrust  my 
life  and  fortunes.     You  are  the  com 


I^^f^  of  Mahomet.  161 

paiiions  of  mj  exile,  of  my  kingdom, 
of  my  paradise."  *  He  was  followed  by 
the  deputies  of  Tayef,  who  dreaded  the 
repetition  of  a  siege.'^     "  Grant  iis,  O 

^  Weil  gives  this  address  of  Mahomet's  differently  (from 
the  Insan  Al  Ujun,  and  Sirat  Arrasul),  observing  that  it  has 
not  before  been  presented  to  the  European  reader.  His  ver- 
Bion  is  as  follows : — "  Were  ye  not  wandering  in  the  paths 
of  error  when  I  came  unto  you,  and  was  it  not  through  me 
that  you  obtained  the  guidance  of  God^?  Were  ye  not  poor, 
and  are  ye  not  now  rich  ?  Were  ye  not  at  variance,  and  are 
ye  not  now  united  ?  "  They  answered,  "  Surely,  0  Prophet 
of  God,  thou  hast  overloaded  us  with  benefits."  Mahomet 
proceeded  : — "  Lo  I  ye  auxiliaries,  if  ye  would,  ye  might 
with  all  truth  object  to  me.  Thou  camest  to  us  branded  for 
a  liar,  yet  we  believed  in  thee ;  as  a  persecutor,  and  wo  pro- 
tected thee ;  as  a  fugitive,  and  we  harbored  thee  ;  as  one  in 
need  of  assistance,  and  we  supported  thee.  Yet  such  are 
not  your  thoughts;  how,  then,  can  ye  find  fault  with  me  be- 
cause I  have  given  a  few  worldly  toys  to  some  persons  in 
order  to  win  their  hearts  ?  Are  ye  not  content,  ye  auxilia- 
ries, if  these  people  return  home  with  sheep  and  camels, 
whilst  ye  return  with  the  prophet  of  God  in  the  midst  of 
you  ?  By  him  in  whose  hand  is  Mohammed's  soul,  were  it 
not  the  reward  of  the  fugitives,  I  should  wish  to  belong  to 
you  ;  and,  when  all  the  world  went  one  way  and  you 
another,  I  would  choose  yours.  God  be  merciful  unto  you, 
and  to  your  children,  and  your  children's  children  I "  At 
these  words  the  auxiliaries  sobbed  aloud,  and  exclaimed, 
**  We  are  content  with  our  lot."    (Well,  p.  241.)— S. 

a  The  deputation  from  Taif,  as  well  as  from  Innumerable 
%ther  tribes,  for  the  most  part  to  tender  their  subnaissioii, 

11 


162  Life  of  Mahomet. 

apostle  of  God  !  a  truce  of  three  years, 
with  the  toleration  of  our  ancient  wor- 
Bhip."  "Not  a  month,  not  an  hour." 
"  Excuse  us  at  least  from  the  obliga- 
tion of  prayer."  "  Without  prayer  re- 
ligion is  of  no  avail."  They  submitted 
in  silence  :  their  temples  were  demol- 
ished, and  the  same  sentence  of  destruc- 
tion was  executed  on  all  the  idols  of 
Arabia.  His  lieutenants,  on  the  shores 
of  the  Red  Sea,  the  ocean,  and  the  gull 
of  Persia,  were  saluted  by  the  acclama- 
tions of  a  faithful  people  ;  and  the  am- 
bassadors who  knelt  before  the  throne 
of  Medina,  were  as  numerous  (says  the 
Arabian  proverb)  as  the  dates  that  fall 
from  the  maturity  of  a  palm-tree.  The 
\iation  submitted  to  the  God  and  the 
Bceptre  of  Mahomet :  the  opprobrious 
name  of  tribute  was  abolished :  the 
spontaneous  or  reluctant   oblations  of 

took  place  in  the  following  year,  which,  on  this  account,  ha« 
been  called  "  the  year  of  deputations."    (See  Weil,  p.  243 

m-)-8. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  163 

alms  and  tithes  were  applied  to  the  ser- 
vice of  religion  ;  and  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  thousand  Moslems  accompa- 
nied the  last  pilgrimage  of  the  apostle.' 
When  Heraclius  returned  in  tri- 
umph from  the  Persian  war,  he  enter 
tained,  at  Emesa,  one  of  the  ambassa- 
dors of  Mahomet,  who  invited  the 
princes  and  nations  of  the  earth  to  the 
profession  of  Islam.  On  this  founda- 
tion the  zeal  of  the  Arabians  has  sup- 
posed the  secret  conversion  of  the  Chris- 
tian emperor ;  the  vanity  of  the  Greeks 
has  feigned  a  personal  visit  to  the  prince 
of  Medina,  who  accepted  from  the  royal 
bounty  a  rich  domain,  and  a  secure 
retreat  in  the  province  of  Syria.  But 
the  friendship  of  Heraclius  and  Ma- 
homet was  of  short  continuance  :  the 
new  religion  had  inflamed  rather  than 

1  The  more  probable  traditions  mention  40,000.  This, 
^e  last  pilgrimage  of  Mahomet,  took  place  in  the  tenth  year 
If  the  Hegira.    (Weil,  ch.  8.)— S. 


164  Life  of  Mahomet, 

assuaged  the  rapacious  spirit  of  the 
Saracens  ;  and  the  murder  of  an  envoy 
afforded  a  decent  pretence  for  invad- 
ing, with  three  thousand  soldiers,  the 
territory  of  Palestine,  that  extends  to 
the  eastward  of  the  Jordan.  The  holy 
banner  was  intrusted  to  Zeid  ;  and  such 
was  the  discipline  or  enthusiasm  of  the 
rising  sect,  that  the  noblest  chiefs  serv- 
ed without  reluctance  under  the  slave 
of  the  prophet.  On  the  event  of  his  de- 
cease, Jaafar  and  xlbdallah  were  suc- 
cessively substituted  to  the  command ; 
and  if  the  three  should  perish  in  the 
war,  the  troops  were  authorized  to  elect 
their  general.  The  three  leaders  were 
slain  in  the  battle  of  Muta,  the  first  mil- 
itary action  which  tried  the  valor  of 
the  Moslems  against  a  foreign  enemy 
Zeid  fell,  like  a  soldier,  in  the  fore- 
most ranks :  the  death  of  Jaafar  was 
heroic  and  memorable :  he  lost  his 
nght-hand  :  he  shifted  the  standard  to 


Life  of  Mahomet.  165 


his  left ;  the  left  was  severed  from  hia 
body :  he  embraced  the  standard  with 
his  bleeding  stumps,  till  he  was  trans- 
fixed to  the  ground  with  fifty  honor- 
able wounds.  "  Advance,"  cried  Ab- 
dallah,  who  stepped  into  the  vacant 
place,  "  advance  with  confidence  :  either 
victory  or  paradise  is  our  own."  The 
lance  of  a  Roman  decided  the  alterna- 
tive ;  but  the  falling  standard  was  res- 
cued by  Caled,  the  proselyte  of  Mecca : 
nine  swords  were  broken  in  his  hand  ; 
and  his  valor  withstood  and  repulsed 
the  superior  numbers  of  the  Christians. 
In  the  nocturnal  council  of  the  camp 
he  was  chosen  to  command :  his  skilful 
evolutions  of  the  ensuing  day  secured 
either  the  victory  or  the  retreat  of  the 
Saracens ;  and  Caled  is  renowned 
among  his  brethren  and  his  enemies 
by  the  glorious  appellation  of  the  Sword 
Qf  God.  In  the  pulpit,  Mahomet  de- 
scribed,  with  prophetic    rapture,   the 


166  Life  of  Mahomet. 

crowns  of  the  blessed  martyrs ;  but  in 
private  he  betrayed  the  feelings  of  hu- 
man nature  :  he  was  surprised  as  he 
wept  over  the  daughter  of  Zeid  :  "  What 
do  I  see  ?  "  said  the  astonished  votary. 
"  You  see,"  replied  the  apostle,  "  a  friend 
who  is  deploring  the  loss  of  his  most 
faithful  friend."  After  the  conquest  of 
Mecca,^  the  sovereign  of  Arabia  affected 
to  prevent  the  hostile  preparations  of 
Heraclius ;  and  solemnly  proclaimed 
war  against  the  Romans,  without  at- 
tempting to  disguise  the  hardships  and 
dangers  of  the  enterprise.  The  Mos- 
lems were  discouraged :  they  alleged 
the  want  of  money,  or  horses,  or  provis- 
ions ;  the  season  of  harvest,  and  the  in- 
tolerable heat  of  the  summer :  "  Hell 


1  The  battle  of  Muta  took  place  hefore  the  conquest  of 
Mecca,  as  Gibbon  here  rightly  assumes,  though  Von  Ham. 
mer  places  it  after  that  event.  (Weil,  p.  206,  note  818.) 
Weil  supposes  that  the  defeat  of  the  Musulmans  on  that 
occasion  encouraged  the  Meccans  to  violate  the  truce.    (lb. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  161 

is  much  hotter,"  said  the  indignant 
prophet.  He  disdained  to  compel  their 
service  :  but  on  his  return  he  admon- 
ished the  most  guilty,  by  an  excommu- 
nication of  fifty  days.  Their  desertion 
enhanced  the  merit  of  Abubeker,  0th- 
man,  and  the  faithful  companions  who 
devoted  their  lives  and  fortunes ;  and 
Mahomet  displayed  his  banner  at  the 
head  of  ten  thousand  horse  and  twenty 
thousand  foot.  Painful  indeed  was  the 
distress  of  the  march :  lassitude  and 
thirst  were  aggravated  by  the  scorching 
and  pestilential  winds  of  the  desert :  ten 
men  rode  by  turns  on  the  same  camel ; 
and  they  were  reduced  to  the  shameful 
necessity  of  drinking  the  water  from 
the  belly  of  that  useful  animal.  In  the 
mid-way,  ten  days'  journey  from  Medina 
and  Damascus,  they  reposed  near  the 
grove  and  fountain  of  Tabuc.  Beyond 
ihat  place  Mahomet  declined  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  war :  he  declared  himself 


168  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Batisfied  with  the  peaceful  intentions, 
he  was  more  probably  daunted  by  the 
martial  array,  of  the  emperor  of  the 
East/  But  the  active  and  intrepid  Ca- 
led  spread  around  the  terror  of  his 
name  ;  and  the  prophet  received  the 
submission    of    the   tribes   and     cities. 


1  The  expedition  of  Tabuc  was  undertaken  in  the  month 
of  Eadjab  of  the  ninth  year  of  the  Hegira  (A.  D.  631).  Ma- 
homet's more  devoted  friends  gave  a  great  part  of  their  sub- 
stance towards  defraying  its  expenses.  Abu  Bekr  gave 
the  whole  of  his  property,  consisting  of  4,000  drachms; 
and  when  Mahomet  inquired,  "  What  then  hast  thou  left 
for  thy  family  ? "  he  answered,  "  God  and  his  prophet." 
The  traditions  vary  exceedingly  respecting  the  number  of 
the  army  assembled  on  this  occasion.  Thirty  thousand  is 
the  lowest  number  assigned ;  but  even  this  is  probably  ex- 
aggerated, and  a  large  part  deserted  at  the  commencement 
of  the  march.  (Weil,  Mahom.,  p.  260.)  When  Mahomet,  at 
Tabuc,  consulted  his  companions  as  to  the  further  prosecu- 
tion of  the  enterprise,  Omar  said,  "  If  you  aro  commanded 
by  God  to  go  farther,  do  it."  Mahomet  answered,  "  If  I  had 
the  command  of  God,  I  should  not  ask  your  advice."  Omar 
replied,  "0  prophet  of  Godl  the  Gieeks  are  a  numerous 
people,  and  there  is  not  a  single  Musulman  among  them. 
Moreover  we  have  already  nearly  approached  them,  and 
your  neighborhood  has  struck  them  with  terror.  This  year 
therefore,  let  us  return,  till  you  find  it  convenient  to  under- 
take another  'ampaign  against  them,  or  till  God  offers 
mportunity."    (Weil,  note  405.)— S, 


Life  of  Mahomet,  169 

from  the  Euphrates  to  Ailah,  at  the 
head  of  the  Red  Sea.  To  his  Christian 
Bubjects,  Mahomet  readily  granted  the 
security  of  their  persons,  the  freedom 
of  their  trade,  the  property  of  their 
goods,  and  the  toleration  of  their  wor 
ship.  The  weakness  of  their  Arabian 
brethren  had  restrained  them  from  op- 
posing his  ambition ;  the  disciples  ol 
Jesus  were  endeared  to  the  enemy  of 
the  Jews ;  and  it  was  the  interest  of  a 
conqueror  to  propose  a  fair  capitulation 
to  the  most  powerful  religion  of  the 
earth. 

Till  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  the 
strength  of  Mahomet  was  equal  to  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  fatigues  of  his 
mission.  His  epileptic  fits,  an  absurd 
calumny  of  the  Greeks,  would  be  an 
object  of  pity  rather  than  abhorrence;* 

*  The  opinion,  however,  of  modern  Oriental  scholars 
^nds  the  other  way.  Dr.  Sprenger  (p.  77)  shows,  on  the 
authority  of  Ibn  Ishac,  that  Mahomet,  whilst  still  an  infant 
>4nder  the  care  of  his  footer  mother,  had  an  attack  which  at 


no  Life  of  Mahomet, 

but  he  seriously  believed  that  he  was 
poisoned  at  Chaibar  by  the  revenge  of 
a  Jewish  female.  During  four  years, 
the  health  of  the  prophet  declined  ;  his 
infirmities  increased;  but  his  mortal 
disease  was  a  fever  of  fourteen  days, 
which  deprived  him  by  intervals  of  the 
use  of  reason.  As  soon  as  he  was  con 
Bcious  of  his  danger,  he  edified  his  breth- 
ren by  the  humility  of  his  virtue  or  peni- 
tence. "  If  there  be  any  man,"  said  the 
apostle  from  the  pulpit,  "  whom  I  have 
unjustly  scourged,  I  submit  my  own 
back  to  the  lash  of  retaliation.  Have  I 
aspersed  the  reputation  of  a  Musulman  ? 
let  him  proclaim  my  faults  in  the  face 
of  the  congregation.     Has  any  one  been 

all  events  very  much  resembled  epilepsy.  Three  other  fits 
are  recorded  (lb.  p.  78,  note  4).  Dr.  Weil  (Mohammed,  p. 
26,  note  11)  remarks  that  the  word  Ussiba,  which  Abulfeda 
uses  with  regard  to  Mahomet,  is  particularly  used  of  epilep- 
tic attacks.  The  same  author  has  collected  several  instance* 
of  these  fits,  (lb.  p.  42,  note  48,  and  in  the  Journal  Asiat- 
Ique,  Juillet,  1842,)  and  is  of  opinion  that  his  visions  werA 
fit  the  Tiost  part,  connected  with  them. — 8. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  171 

despoiled  of  his  goods  ?  the  little  that  I 
possess  shall  compensate  the  principal 
and  the  interest  of  the  debt."  "  Yes," 
replied  a  voice  from  the  crowd,  "  I  am 
entitled  to  three  drachms  of  silver." 
Mahomet  heard  the  complaint,  satisfied 
the  demand,  and  thanked  his  creditor 
for  accusing  him  in  this  world  rather 
than  at  the  day  of  judgment.  He  be 
held  with  temperate  firmness  the  ap- 
proach of  death  ;  enfranchised  his  slaves 
(seventeen  men,  as  they  are  named, 
and  eleven  women) ;  minutely  directed 
the  order  of  his  funeral,  and  moderated 
the  lamentations  of  his  weeping  friends, 
on  whom  he  bestowed  the  benediction 
of  peace.  Till  the  third  day  before  his 
death,  he  regularly  performed  the  func- 
tion of  public  prayer :  the  choice  of 
Abubeker  to  supply  his  place  appeared 
to  mark  that  ancient  and  faithful  friend 
as  his  successor  in  the  sacerdotal  and 
regal  office  ;  but  he  prudently  declined 


172  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  risk  and  envj  of  a  more  explicit 
nomination.  At  a  moment  when  his 
faculties  were  visibly  impaired,  he 
called  for  pen  and  ink  to  write/  or  more 
properly,  to  dictate,  a  divine  book,  the 
sum  and  accomplishment  of  all  his 
revelations  :  a  dispute  arose  in  the 
chamber,  whether  he  should  be  al- 
lowed to  supersede  the  authority  of  the 
Koran ;  and  the  prophet  was  forced  to 
reprove  the  indecent  vehemence  of  his 
disciples.  If  the  slightest  credit  may 
be  afforded  to  the  traditions  of  his  wives 
and  companions,  he  maintained,  in  the 
bosom  of  his  family,  and  to  the  lastmo- 

1  The  tradition  seems  to  be  doubtful ;  but,  if  true,  it 
proves,  as  Dr.  "Weil  remarks,  Mabomefs  ability  to  write. 
There  is  no  authority  for  Gibbon's  addition,  "  or,  more 
properly,  to  dictate,"  which  seems  to  be  a  salvo  for  his  own 
theory.  According  to  one  version  be  said,  "Bring  me 
parchment,  or  a  table,  I  will  write  something  for  Abu  Bekr, 
;n  order  that  nobody  may  oppose  Mm."  ("Weil,  p.  330  and 
Dote  526.) 

Gagnier,  whom  Gibbon  follows,  has  erroneously  trans- 
ited "book."  It  was  only  a  short  paper  that  Mahomet 
wished  to  write,  probably  to  name  his  successor.  (lb.  not« 
627.)-S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  173 

ments  of  his  life,  the  dignity  of  an  apos- 
tle, and  the  faith  of  an  enthusiast ;  de- 
scribed the  visits  of  Gabriel,  who  bade 
an  everlasting  farewell  to  the  earth,  and 
expressed  his  lively  confidence,  not  only 
of  the  mercy,  but  of  the  favor,  of  the 
Supreme  Being.  In  a  familiar  dis- 
course he  had  mentioned  his  special 
prerogative,  that  the  angel  of  death  was 
not  allowed  to  take  his  soul  till  he  had 
respectfully  asked  the  permission  of  the 
prophet.  The  request  was  granted; 
and  Mahomet  immediately  fell  into  the 
agony  of  his  dissolution  :  his  head  was 
reclined  on  the  lap  of  Ayesha,  the  best 
beloved  of  all  his  wives ;  he  fainted 
with  the  violence  of  pain ;  recovering  his 
spirits,  he  raised  his  eyes  towards  the 
roof  of  the  house,  and,  with  a  steady  look, 
though  a  faltering  voice,  uttered  the 
last  broken,  though  articulate,  words  : 
"  O  Grod !  .  .  pardon  my  sins  .  .  Yes,  .  . 
[  come,  .  .  .  among  my  fellow-citizens 


174  Life  of  Mahomet, 

on  high ;"  and  thus  peaceably  expired 
on  a  carpet  spread  upon  the  floor.  An 
expedition  for  the  conquest  of  Syria 
was  stopped  by  this  mournlul  event: 
the  army  halted  at  the  gates  of  Medina ; 
the  chiefs  were  assembled  round  their 
dying  master.  The  city,  more  espe- 
cially the  house  of  the  prophet,  was  a 
scene  of  clamorous  sorrow  or  silent 
despair  :  fanaticism  alone  could  suggest 
a  ray  of  hope  and  consolation.  "How 
can  he  be  dead,  our  witness,  our  inter- 
cessor, our  mediator  with  God  ?  By  God 
he  is  not  dead :  like  Moses  and  Jesus 
he  is  wrapt  in  a  holy  trance,  and  speed- 
ily will  he  return  to  his  faithful  people." 
The  evidence  of  sense  was  disregarded  ; 
and  Omar,  unsheathing  his  scymitar, 
threatened  to  strike  off  the  heads  of  the 
infidels,  who  should  dare  to  affirm  that 
the  prophet  was  no  more.  The  tumult 
was  appeased  by  the  weight  and  mod 
eration  of  Abubeker.     "  Is  it  Mahom 


Life  of  Mahomet.  175 

et,  "  said  lie  to  Omar  and  the  multitude, 
"  or  the  God  of  Mahomet,  whom  you 
worship  ?  The  God  of  Mahomet  liveth 
for  ever  ;  but  the  apostle  was  a  mortal 
like  ourselves,  and  according  to  his  own 
prediction,  he  has  experienced  the  com- 
mon fate  of  mortality."  ^  He  was  pious- 
ly interred  by  the  hands  of  his  nearest 
kinsman,  on  the  same  spot  on  w^hich  he 
expired.''  *     Medina  has  been  sanctified 

1  After  this  address  Abu  Bekr  read  the  following  verse 
from  the  Koran: — "Mohammed  is  only  a  prophet;  many 
prophets  have  departed  before  him ;  will  ye  then,  wlien  he 
has  been  slain,  or  died  a  natural  death,  turn  upon  your  heels 
(i.  e.  forsake  his  creed)  ?  He  who  does  this  cannot  harm 
God,  but  God  rewards  those  who  are  thankful,"  (Sura  iii. 
V.  144.)  The  people  seemed  never  to  have  heard  of  this 
verse,  yet  they  accepted  it  from  Abu  Bekr,  and  it  ran  from 
mouth  to  mouth.  Omar  himself  was  so  struck  when  he 
heard  it  that  he  fell  to  the  ground,  and  perceived  that  Ma- 
homet was  dead.  Weil  (p.  833)  observes  that  this  anecdote, 
which  is  important  to  a  critical  view  of  the  Koran,  is  en- 
tirely new  to  Europeans. — S. 

2  That  is,  in  the  house  of  his  wife  Ayesha ;  but  after  the 
tnlargement  of  the  mosque  by  the  chalif  Walid,  his  grave 
was  comprehended  within  its  walls.    (Weil,  p.  389.)— 8. 


a  The  Greeks  and  Latins  have  in  rented  and  propagated 
Ibe  vulgar  and  ridiculous  story  that  Mahomet's  iron  tomb 
8  suspAQded  in  the  air  at  Mecca  (jtrrjixa  lUerewpt  (Sfxeyop, 


176  Life  of  Mahomet, 

by  the  death  and  burial  of  Mahomet ; 
and  the  innumerable  pilgrims  of  Mecca 
often  turn  aside  from  the  way,  to  bow, 
in  voluntary  devotion,  before  the  simple 
tomb  of  the  prophet. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  life  of  Ma- 
homet, it  may  perhaps  be  expected, 
that  I  should  balance  his  faults  and  vir- 
tues, that  I  should  decide  whether  the 
title  of  enthusiast  or  impostor  more 
properly  belongs  to  that  extraordinary 
man.  Had  I  been  intimately  conver- 
sant with  the  son  of  Abdallah,  the  task 
would  still  be  difficult,  and  the  success 

Laoniciis  Chalcocondyles  de  Rebus  Turcicis,  1.  iii.  p.  66.)  by 
the  action  of  equal  and  potent  loadstones,  (Dictlonnaire  de 
Bayle,  Mahomet,  Eem.  EE.  FF.)  Without  any  philosophi- 
calinquiries,  it  may  suffice,  that,  1.  The  prophet  was  not 
buried  at  Mecca ;  and,  2.  That  his  tomb  at  Medina,  which 
has  been  visited  by  millions,  is  placed  on  the  ground.  (Ee- 
land.  de  Eelig.  Moham.  1.  ii.  c  19.  p.  209-211.)  Gagnier. 
(Vie  de  Mahomet,  torn.  iii.  p.  263-268.)' 

1  Most  of  the  biographers  of  Mahomet  state  that  he  died 
DD  Monday  the  12th  Eabia-1-Awwl,  in  the  year  11  of  th« 
Heglra,  which  answers  to  the  7th  of  June,  A.  D.  632.  This, 
however,  fell  on  a  Sunday,  but,  as  a  contemporary  poem 
mentions  Monday  as  the  day  of  his  death,  it  is  probable  tha 
a  mistake  has  been  made  in  the  day  of  the  month,  and  thai 
•e  died  on  the  8th  of  June.    (Weil,  p.  831.)— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  177 

uncertain :  at  the  distance  of  twelve 
centuries,  I  darkly  contemplate  his 
Bhade  through  a  cloud  of  religious  in- 
cense ;  and  could  I  truly  delineate  the 
portrait  of  an  hour,  the  fleeting  resem- 
blance would  not  equally  apply  to  the 
solitary  of  mount  Hera,  to  the  preacher 
of  Mecca,  and  to  the  conqueror  of 
Arabia.  The  author  of  a  mighty  revo- 
lution  appears  to  have  been  endowed 
with  a  pious  and  contemplative  dispo- 
sition :  so  soon  as  marriage  had  raised 
him  above  the  pressure  of  want,  he 
avoided  the  paths  of  ambition  and 
avarice ;  and  till  the  age  of  forty,  he 
lived  with  innocence,  and  would  have 
died  without  a  name.  The  unity  of 
God  is  an  idea  most  congenial  to  na- 
ture and  reason ;  and  a  slight  conver- 
sation with  the  Jews  and  Christians 
would  teach  him  to  despise  and  detest 
the  idolatry  of  Mecca.  It  was  the  duty 
of  a  man  and  a  citizen  to  impart  the 
12 


178  Life  of  Mahomet, 

doctrine  of  salvation,  to  rescue  his 
countrj  from  tlie  dominion  of  sin  and 
error.  The  energy  of  a  mind  inces- 
santly bent  on  the  same  object,  would 
convert  a  general  obligation  into  a  par- 
ticular call ;  the  warm  suggestions  of 
the  understanding  or  the  fancy  would 
be  felt  as  the  inspirations  of  heaven ; 
the  labor  of  thought  would  expire  in 
rapture  and  vision  ;  and  the  inward  sen- 
sation, the  invisible  monitor,  would  be 
described  with  the  form  and  attributes 
of  an  angel  of  God.  From  enthusiasm 
to  imposture,  the  step  is  perilous  and 
slippery  ;  the  daemon  of  Socrates  af- 
fords a  memorable  instance,  how  a 
wise  man  may  deceive  himself,  how  a 
good  man  may  deceive  others,  how  the 
conscience  may  slumber  in  a  mixed  and 
middle  state  between  self-illusion  and 
voluntary  fraud.  Charity  may  believe 
that  the  original  motives  of  Mahomet 
H^ere  those  of  pure  and  genuine  benevo 


Life  of  Mahomet.  179 

lence ;  but  a  human  missionaiy  is  in- 
capable of  cherishing  the  obstinate  un- 
believers who  reject  his  claims,  despise 
his  arguments,  and  persecute  his  life  ; 
he  might  forgive  his  personal  adver- 
Baries,  he  might  lawfully  hate  the  ene- 
mies of  God  ;  the  stern  passions  of  pride 
and  revenge  were  kindled  in  the  bosom 
of  Mahomet,  and  he  sighed,  like  the 
prophet  of  Nineveh,  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  rebels  whom  he  had  con- 
demned. The  injustice  of  Mecca,  and 
the  choice  of  Medina,  transformed  the 
citizen  into  a  prince,  the  humble 
preacher  into  the  leader  of  armies ;  but 
his  sword  was  consecrated  by  the  ex- 
ample of  the  saints  ;  and  the  same  God 
who  afflicts  a  sinful  world  with  pesti- 
lence and  earthquakes,  might  inspire 
for  their  conversion  or  chastisement 
the  valor  of  his  servants.  In  the  ex- 
ercise of  political  government,  he  was 
compelled  to  abate  of  the  stern  rigor 


180  Life  of  Mahomet. 

of  fanaticism,  to  comply  in  some  meas 
lire  with  the  prejudices  and  passions  of 
his  followers,  and  to  employ  even  the 
vices  of  mankind  as  the  instruments  of 
their  salvation.  The  use  of  fraud  and 
perfidy,  of  cruelty  and  injustice,  were 
often  subservient  to  the  propagation  of 
the  faith  ;  and  Mahomet  commanded  or 
approved  the  assassination  of  the  Jews 
and  idolaters  who  had  escaped  from  the 
field  of  battle.  By  the  repetition  of 
such  acts,  the  character  of  Mahomet 
must  have  been  gradually  stained  ;  and 
the  influence  of  such  pernicious  habits 
would  be  poorly  compensated  by  the 
practice  of  the  personal  and  social  vir- 
tues which  are  necessary  to  maintain 
the  reputation  of  a  prophet  among  his 
eectai-ies  and  friends.  Of  his  last  years, 
ambition  was  the  ruling  passion  ;  and 
a  politician  will  suspect  that  he  secret- 
ly smiled  (the  victorious  impostor!)  at 
the  enthusiasm  of  his  youth,  and  the 


Life  of  Mahomet.  181 

credulity  of  his  proselytes.  A  philos- 
opher will  observe,  that  tTieir  credu- 
lity and  his  success  would  tend  more 
strongly  to  fortify  the  assurance  of  his 
divine  mission,  that  his  interest  and 
religion  were  inseparably  connected, 
and  that  his  conscience  would  be  sooth- 
ed by  the  persuasion,  that  he  alone  was 
absolved  by  the  Deity  from  the  obliga- 
tion of  positive  and  moral  laws.  If  he 
retained  any  vestige  of  his  native  inno- 
cence, the  sins  of  Mahomet  may  be  al- 
''owed  as  an  evidence  of  his  sincerity. 
In  the  support  of  truth,  the  arts  of  fraud 
and  fiction  maybe  deemed  less  criminal; 
and  he  would  have  started  at  the  foul- 
ness of  the  means,  had  he  not  been 
satisfied  of  the  importance  and  justice 
of  the  end.  Even  in  a  conqueror  or  a 
priest,  I  can  surprise  a  word  or  action 
of  unafiected  humanity ;  and  the  de- 
'sree  of  Mahomet,  that,  in  the  sale  of 
captives,  the  mothers  should  never  be 


182  Life  of  Mahomet. 

separated  from  their  children,  may  sus- 
pend, or  moderate,  the  censure  of  the 
historian.* 

The  good  sense  of  Mahomet  despised 
the  pomp  of  royalty ;  the  apostle  of 
God  submitted  to  the  menial  offices  of 
the  family  ;  he  kindled  the  fire,  swept 
the  floor,  milked  the  ewes,  and  mended 

1  It  may  be  remarked  that,  in  estimating  Mahomet's 
character,  Gibbon  entirely  leaves  out  of  sight  his  physical 
temperament.  Thus  he  indignantly  rejects  the  accounts  of 
his  epileptic  seizures,  and  everywhere  directs  his  attention 
to  the  moral  qualities  of  the  prophet,  either  as  a  philosophi- 
cal and  contemplative  enthusiast,  or,  as  he  seems  to  con- 
sider him  in  the  latter  part  of  his  career,  as  a  political  im- 
postor. Yet  the  physical  constitution  of  Mahomet  was  of 
60  peculiar  a  kind,  that  it  can  hardly  be  passed  over  in  a 
complete  and  accurate  sketch  of  his  character,  upon  which 
it  must  have  undoubtedly  exercised  a  wonderful  influence ; 
and  we  have,  therefore,  inserted  the  following  interesting 
details  from  the  pages  of  Dr.  Sprenger : — 

"  The  temperament  of  Mohammed  was  melancholic  and 
In  the  highest  degree  nervous.  He  was  generally  low-spir- 
ited, thinking,  and  restless ;  and  he  spoke  little,  and  never 
without  necessity.  His  eyes  were  mostly  cast  on  the  ground, 
Vid  he  seldom  raised  them  towards  heaven.  The  excite- 
ment under  which  he  composed  the  more  poetical  Suras  of 
the  Koran  was  so  great,  that  he  said  that  they  had  caused 
him  grey  hair ;  his  lips  were  quivering  and  his  hands  shak- 
ing whilst  he  received  the  inspirations.  An  offensive  smeV 
made  him  so  uncomfortable,  that  he  forbad  persons  who  had 


Life  of  Mahomet.  183 

with  his  own  hands  his  shoes  and  his 
woollen  garments.  Disdaining  the 
penance  and  merit  of  a  hermit,  he  ob- 
served, without  effort  or  vanity,  the 
abstemious  diet  of  an  Arab  and  a  sol- 
eaten  garlic  or  onions  to  come  into  his  place  of  worship.  In 
a  man  of  semi-barbarous  habits  this  is  remarkable.  He  had 
a  woollen  garment,  and  was  obliged  to  throw  it  away  when 
it  began  to  smell  of  perspiration,  on  account  of  his  delicate 
constitution.  When  he  was  taken  ill,  he  sobbed  like  a  wo- 
man in  hysterics — or,  as  Ayesha  says,  he  roared  like  a  cam- 
el ;  and  his  friends  reproached  him  for  his  unmanly  bearing. 
During  the  battle  of  Bedr,  his  nervous  excitement  seems  to 
have  bordered  on  frenzy.  The  faculties  of  his  mind  were 
very  unequally  developed ;  he  was  unfit  for  the  common 
duties  of  life,  and,  even  after  his  mission,  he  was  led  in  all 
practical  questions  by  his  friends.  But  he  had  a  vivid  im- 
agination, the  greatest  elevation  of  mind,  refined  senti- 
ments, and  a  taste  for  the  sublime.  Much  as  he  disliked  the 
name,  he  was  a  poet ;  and  a  harmonious  language  and  sub- 
lime lyric  constitute  the  principal  merits  of  the  Koran.  His 
mind  dwelt  constantly  on  the  contemplation  of  God ;  he 
saw  his  finger  in  the  rising  sun,  in  the  falling  rain,  in  the 
jrowing  crop;  he  heard  his  voice  in  the  thunder,  in  the 
nurmuring  of  the  waters,  and  in  ihe  hymns  which  the 
>irds  sing  to  his  praise  ;  and  in  the  hmely  deserts  and  ruins 
of  ancient  cities  he  saw  the  traces  of  his  anger."  (Life  ol 
Mohammed,  p.  89.)  "  The  mental  excitement  of  the  prophet 
was  much  increased  during  the  fatrah  (intermission  of  reve- 
lations); and,  like  the  ardent  scholar  in  one  of  Schiller's 
loems,  who  dared  to  lift  the  veil  of  truth,  he  was  nearly  an- 
•uhilated  by  the  light  which  broke  in  upon  him.    He  UBU* 

9 


184  Life  of  Mahomet. 


dier.  On  solemn  occasions  he  feasted 
his  companions  with  rustic  and  hospi- 
table plenty ;  but  in  his  domestic  life, 
many  weeks  would  elapse  without  a 
fire  being  kindled  on  the  hearth  of  the 

ally  wandered  about  in  the  hills  near  Mecca,  and  was  so  ab- 
sent, that  on  one  occasion  his  wife,  being  afraid  that  he  was 
lost,  sent  men  in  search  of  him.  He  suffered  from  halluci- 
nations of  his  senses ;  and,  to  finish  his  sufferings,  he  several 
times  contemplated  suicide,  by  throwing  himself  down  from 
a  precipice.  His  friends  were  alarmed  at  his  state  of  mind. 
Some  considered  it  as  the  eccentricities  of  a  poetical  genius ; 
others  thought  that  he  was  a  Jcahin,  or  soothsayer ;  but  the 
majority  took  a  less  charitable  view,  and  declared  that  he 
was  insane ;  and  as  madness  and  melancholy  are  ascribed  to 
supernatural  influence  in  the  East,  they  said  that  he  was  in 
the  power  of  Satan  and  his  agents  the  jinn."  (lb.  p.  105.) 
"  One  day,  whilst  he  was  wandering  about  in  the  hills  near 
Mecca,  with  the  intention  of  destroying  himself,  he  heard  a 
voice,  and  on  raising  his  head  he  beheld  Gabriel  between 
heaven  and  earth ;  and  the  angel  assured  him  that  he  was 
the  prophet  of  God.  Frightened  by  this  apparition,  he  re- 
turned home,  and,  feeling  unwell,  he  called  for  covering.  He 
had  a  fit,  and  they  poured  cold  water  upon  him,  and  when 
he  was  recovering  from  it  he  received  the  revelation : — '  O 
thou  covered,  arise  and  preach,  and  magnify  thy  Lord,  and 
cleanse  thy  garment,  and  fly  every  abomination ; '  and 
henceforth,  we  are  told,  ho  received  revelations  without  in 
termission,  that  is  to  say,  the  fatrah  was  at  an  end,  and  h* 
assumed  his  oflSce."  (p.  109.)  "  Some  authors  consider  the 
fits  of  the  prophet  as  the  principal  evidence  of  his  mission, 
ui<l  it  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  say  a  few  words  on  them. 


^^/^  of  Mahomet.  185 

prophet.  The  interdiction  of  wine  was 
confirmed  by  his  example  ;  his  hunger 
was  appeased  with  a  sparing  allowance 
of  barely-bread :  he  delighted  in  the  taste 
of  milk  and  honey  ;  but  his  ordinary 
food  consisted  of  dates  and  water.  Per- 
fumes and  women  were  the  two  sensual 
enjoyments  which  his  nature  required, 
and  his  religion  did  not  forbid ;  and 
Mahomet  affirmed,  that  the  fervor  of 

They  were  preceded  by  great  depression  of  spirits,  and  his 
face  was  clouded ;  and  they  were  ushered  in  by  coldness  of 
the  extremities  and  shivering.  He  shook  as  if  he  were  suf- 
fering from  ague,  and  called  out  for  coTering.  His  mind 
was  in  a  most  painfully  excited  state.  He  heard  a  tinkling 
in  his  ears  as  if  bells  were  ringing,  or  a  humming  as  if  bees 
were  swarming  round  his  head,  and  his  lips  quivered,  but 
this  motion  was  under  the  control  of  volition.  If  the  at- 
tack proceeded  beyond  this  stage,  his  eyes  became  fixed  and 
staring,  and  the  motions  of  his  head  convulsive  and  auto- 
matic. At  length  perspiration  broke  out,  which  covered  his 
face  in  large  drops ;  and  with  this  ended  the  attack.  Some- 
times, however,  if  he  had  a  violent  fit,  he  fell  comatose  to 
tie  ground,  like  a  person  who  is  intoxicated ;  and  (at  least  at 
a  later  period  of  his  life)  his  face  was  flushed,  and  his  res- 
piration stertorous,  and  he  remained  in  that  state  for  some 
time.  The  bystanders  sprinkled  water  in  his  face :  but  he 
himself  fancied  that  he  would  derive  a  great  benefit  from 
*<;ing  cupped  on  the  head."    (lb.  p.  111.) — 8. 


186  Life  of  Mahomet. 

his  devotion  was  increased  by  these  in- 
nocent pleasures.  The  heat  of  the  cli- 
mate inflames  the  blood  of  the  Arabs, 
and  their  libidinous  complexion  has  been 
noticed  by  the  writers  of  antiquity. 
Their  incontinence  was  regulated  by 
the  civil  and  religious  laws  of  the 
Koran  ;  their  incestuous  alliances  were 
blamed ;  the  boundless  licence  of  po- 
lygamy w^as  reduced  to  four  legitimate 
wives  or  concubines  ;  their  rights  both 
of  bed  and  dowry  were  equitably  de- 
termined ;  the  freedom  of  divorce  was 
discouraged  ;  adultery  was  condemned 
as  a  capital  offence  ;  and  fornication,  in 
either  sex,  was  punished  with  a  hun- 
dred stripes.  Such  were  the  calm  and 
rational  precepts  of  the  legislator;  but 
in  his  private  conduct,  Mahomet  in- 
dulged the  appetites  of  a  man,  and 
abused  the  claims  of  a  prophet.  A 
special  revelation  dispensed  him  from 
the  laws  which  he  had  imposed  on  his 


Life  of  Mahomet,  187 

nation ;  the  female  sex,  without  re- 
serve, was  abandoned  to  his  desires ; 
and  this  singular  prerogative  excited 
tlie  envy  rather  than  the  scandal,  the 
veneration  rather  than  the  envy,  of  the 
devout  Musulmans.  If  we  remember 
the  seven  hundred  wives  and  three 
hundred  concubines  of  the  wise  Solo- 
mon, we  shall  applaud  the  modesty  of 
the  Arabian,  who  espoused  no  more 
than  seventeen  or  fifteen  wives  ;  eleven 
are  enumerated  who  occupied  at  Me- 
dina their  separate  apartments  round 
the  house  of  the  apostle,  and  enjoyed 
in  their  turns  the  favor  of  his  conju- 
gal society.  What  is  singular  enough, 
they  were  all  widows,  excepting  only 
Ayesha,  the  daughter  of  Abubeker. 
She  was  doubtless  a  virgin,  since  Ma- 
homet consummated  his  nuptials  (such 
%s  the  premature  ripeness  of  the  climate) 
when  she  was  only  nine  years  of  age. 
The  youth,  the  beauty,  the  spirit  of 


188  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Ayeslia,  gave  her  a  superior  ascendant: 
she  was  beloved  and  trusted  by  the 
prophet;  and,  after  his  death,  the 
daughter  of  Abubeker  was  long  revered 
as  the  mother  of  the  faithful.  Her 
behavior  had  been  ambiguous  and  in- 
discreet :  in  a  nocturnal  march  she 
was  accidentally  left  behind;  and  in 
the  morning  Ayesha  returned  to  the 
camp  with  a  man.  The  temper  of  Ma- 
homet was  inclined  to  jealousy  ;  but  a 
divine  revelation  assured  him  of  her 
innocence  :  he  chastised  her  accusers, 
and  published  a  law  of  domestic  peace, 
that  no  woman  should  be  condemned 
unless  four  male  witnesses  had  seen  her 
in  the  act  of  adultery.*  In  his  adven- 
tures with  Zeineb,  the  wife  of  Zeid,  and 

»  This  law,  however,  related  only  to  accusations  by 
strangers.  By  a  subsequent  law  (Sura  24,  v.  6-10)  a  hus- 
band who  suspected  his  wife  might  procure  a  divorce  by 
taking  four  oaths  to  the  truth  of  his  charge,  and  a  fifth  in- 
voking God's  curse  upon  himself  if  he  had  sworn  falsely. 
The  woman  escaped  punishment  if  she  took  an  oath  of  th« 
iame  description.    (Weil,  p.  278.)— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  189 

with  Maiy,  an  Egyptian  captive,  the 
amorous  prophet  forgot  the  interest  of 
his  reputation.  At  the  house  of  Zeid, 
his  freedman  and  adopted  son,  he  be- 
held, in  a  loose  undress,  the  beauty  of 
Zeinib,  and  burst  forth  into  an  ejacula- 
tion of  devotion  and  desire.  The  ser- 
vile, or  grateful,  freedman  understood 
the  hint,  and  yielded  without  hesitation 
to  the  love  of  his  benefactor.  But  as 
the  filial  relation  had  excited  some 
doubt  and  scandal,  the  angel  Gabriel 
descended  from  heaven  to  ratify  the 
deed,  to  annul  the  adoption,  and  gently 
to  reprove  the  prophet  for  distrusting 
the  indulgence  of  his  God.  One  of  his 
wives,  Hafna,  the  daughter  of  Omar, 
surprised  him  on  her  own  bed,  in  the 
embraces  of  his  Egyptian  captive  :  she 
promised  secrecy  and  forgiveness :  he 
swore  that  he  would  renounce  the  pos- 
session of  Mary.  Both  parties  forgot 
their  engagements ;  and  Gabriel  again 


190  Life  of  Mahomet, 

descended  with  a  chapter  of  the  Koran, 
to  absolve  him  from  his  oath,  and  to 
exhort  him  freely  to  enjoy  his  captives 
and  concubines,  without  listening  to  the 
clamors  of  his  wives.  In  a  solitary- 
retreat  of  thirty  days,  he  labored,  alone 
with  Mary,  to  fulfil  the  commands  of 
the  angel.  When  his  love  and  revenge 
were  satiated,  he  summoned  to  his 
presence  his  eleven  wives,  reproached 
their  disobedience  and  indiscretion,  and 
threatened  them  with  a  sentence  of  di- 
vorce, both  in  this  world  and  in  the 
next — a  dreadful  sentence,  since  those 
who  had  ascended  the  bed  of  the  prophet 
were  forever  excluded  from  the  hope 
of  a  second  marriage.  Perhaps  the  in- 
continence of  Mahomet  may  be  palli- 
ated by  the  tradition  of  his  natural  or 
preternatural  gift ;  he  united  the  manly 
virtue  of  thirty  of  the  children  of  Adam  • 
and  the  apostle  might  rival  the  thir- 
teenth labor  of  the  Grecian  Hercules, 


Life  of  Mahomet.  191 

A.  more  serious  and  decent  excuse  may 
be  drawn  from  his  fidelity  to  Cadijah. 
During  the  twenty-four  years  of  their 
marriage,  her  youthful  husband  ab- 
stained from  the  right  of  polygamy,  and 
the  pride  or  tenderness  of  the  venerable 
matron  was  never  insulted  by  the 
society  of  a  rival.  After  her  death,  he 
placed  her  in  the  rank  of  the  four  per- 
fect women,  with  the  sister  of  Moses, 
the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  Fatima,  the 
best  beloved  of  his  daughters.  "  Was  she 
not  old  ?  "  said  Ayesha,  with  the  inso- 
lence of  a  blooming  beauty  ;  "  has  not 
God  given  you  a  better  in  her  place  ?" 
"  ]N"o,  by  God,"  said  Mahomet,  with  an 
effusion  of  honest  gratitude,  "  there 
never  can  be  a  better  !  She  believed  in 
me,  when  men  despised  me  ;  she  re- 
lieved my  wants,  when  I  was  poor  and 
persecuted  by  the  world." 

In  the  largest  indulgence  of  polygamy, 
the  founder  of  a  religion  and  empire 


192  Life  of  Mahomet, 

might  aspire  to  multiply  the  chances 
of  a  numerous  posterity  and  a  lineal 
succession.  The  hopes  of  Mahomet 
were  fatally  disappointed.  The  virgin 
Ayesha,  and  his  ten  widows  of  mature 
age  and  approved  fertility,  were  barren 
in  his  potent  embraces.  The  four  sons 
of  Cadijah  died  in  their  infancy.  Mary, 
his  Egyptian  concubine,  was  endeared 
to  him  by  the  birth  of  Ibrahim.  At 
the  end  of  fifteen  months  the  prophet 
wept  over  his  grave  ;  but  he  sustained 
with  firmness  the  raillery  of  his  enemies, 
and  checked  the  adulation  or  credulity 
of  the  Moslems,  by  the  assurance  that 
an  eclipse  of  the  sun  was  not  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  the  infant.  Cadijah 
had  likewise  given  him  four  daughters, 
who  were  married  to  the  most  faithful 
of  his  disciples :  the  three  eldest  died 
before  their  father  ;  but  Fatima,  who 
possessed  his  confidence  and  love,  be- 
came the  wife  of  her  cousin  All,  and 


Life  of  Mahomet.  193 

the  mother  of  an  ilhistrious  progeny. 
The  merit  and  misfortunes  of  Ali  and 
his  descendants  will  lead  me  to  antici- 
pate, in  this  place,  the  series  of  the 
Saracen  caliphs,  a  title  which  describes 
the  commanders  of  the  faithful  as  the 
vicars  and  successors  of  the  apostle  of 
God.^ 

The  birth,  the  alliance,  the  character 
of  Ali,  which  exalted  him  above  the 
rest  of  his  countrymen,  might  justify 
his  claim  to  the  vacant  throne  of  Ara- 
bia. The  son  of  Abu  Taleb  was,  in  his 
own  right,  the  chief  of  the  family  of 
Hashem,  and  the  hereditary  prince  or 
guardian  of  the  city  and  temple  of 
Mecca.  The  light  of  prophecy  was 
extinct ;  but  the  husband  of  Fatima 
might  expect  the  inheritance  and  bless- 

1  The  most  valuable  work  since  Gibbon's  time  upon  the 
Wstory  of  the  Caliphs  is  "Weil's  "  Geschichte  der  Chalifen," 
(Mannheim,  3  vols.  8vo.  1846,  se^.,)  founded  upon  original 
jources.  This  work  is  referred  to  in  subsequent  notes  under 
■Jie  name  of  Weil.— 8. 

13 


194  Life  of  Mahomet, 

ing  of  her  father :  the  Arabs  had  some- 
times been  patient  of  a  female  reign  ; 
and  the  two  grandsons  of  the  prophet 
had  often  been  fondled  in  his  lap,  and 
shown  in  his  pulpit,  as  the  hope  of  his 
ftge,  and  the  chief  of  the  youth  of  para- 
dise. The  first  of  the  true  believei*s 
might  aspire  to  march  before  them  in 
this  world  and  in  the  next ;  and  if  some 
were  of  a  graver  and  more  rigid  cast, 
the  zeal  and  virtue  of  All  were 
never  outstripped  by  any  recent  pro- 
celyte.  He  united  the  qualifications 
of  a  poet,  a  soldier,  and  a  saint :  his 
wisdom  still  breathes  in  a  collection  of 
moral  and  religious  sayings ;  and  every 
antagonist,  in  the  combats  of  the  tongue 
or  of  the  sword,  was  subdued  by  his 
eloquence  and  valor.  From  the  first 
hour  of  his  mission  to  the  last  rites  of 
his  funeral,  the  apostle  was  never  for- 
eaken  by  a  generous  friend,  whom  he 
delighted  to  name  his  brother,  his  vice* 


Life  of  Mahomet.  195 

gerent,  and  the  faithful  Aaron  of  a 
second  Moses.  The  son  of  Abu  Taleb 
was  afterwards  reproached  for  neglect- 
ing to  secure  his  interest  by  a  solemn 
declaration  of  his  right,  which  would 
have  silenced  all  competition,  and  seal- 
ed his  succession  bj  the  decrees  of 
Heaven.  But  the  unsuspecting  hero 
confided  in  himself:  the  jealousy  of 
empire,  and  perhaps  the  fear  of  opposi- 
tion, might  suspend  the  resolutions  of 
Mahomet ;  and  the  bed  of  sickness  was 
besieged  by  the  artful  Ayesha,  the 
daughter  of  Abubeker,  and  the  enemy 
of  Ali/ 

*  Gibbon  wrote  chiefly  from  the  Arabic  or  Sunnite  ac- 
count of  these  transactions,  the  only  sources  accessible  at 
the  time  when  he  composed  his  history.  Major  Price,  writ- 
ing from  Persian  authorities,  affords  us  the  advantage  of 
comparing  throughout  what  may  be  fairly  considered  the 
Bhiite  version.  The  glory  of  Ali  is  the  constant  burden  of 
their  strain.  He  was  destined,  and,  according  to  some  ac- 
lounts,  designated,  for  the  caliphate  by  the  prophet ;  but 
while  the  others  were  fiertely  pushing  their  own  interests, 
A.li  was  watching  the  remains  of  Mahomet  with  pious  fidel- 
ty.  His  disinterested  magnanimity,  on  each  separate  occa- 
ion,  declined  the  eceptre,  and  gave  the  noble  example  of 


196  Life  of  Mahomet. 

The  silence  and  death  of  the  prophet 
restored  the  liberty  of  the  people ;  and 
his  companions  covened  an  assembly 
to  deliberate  on  the  choice  of  his  succes- 
sor. The  hereditary  claim  and  lofty 
spirit  of  Alij  were  offensive  to  an 
aristocracy  of  elders,  desirous  of  be- 
stowing and  resuming  the  sceptre  by  a 
free  and  frequent  election  :  the  Koreish 
could  never  be  reconciled  to  the  proud 
pre-eminence  of  the  line  of  Hashem  : 
the  ancient  discord  of  the  tribes  was  re- 
kindled :  the  fugitives  of  Mecca  and  the 
auxiliaries  of  Medina  asserted  their  re- 
spective merits  ;  and  the  rash  proposal 

obedience  to  the  appointed  Caliph.  He  is  described  in  re- 
tirement, on  the  throne,  and  in  the  field  of  battle,  as  trans- 
cendently  pious,  magnanimous,  valiant  and  humane.  He 
lost  his  empire  through  his  excess  of  virtue  and  love  for  the 
faithful ;  liis  life  through  his  confidence  in  God,  and  sub- 
mission to  the  decrees  of  fate. 

Compare  the  curious  account  of  this  apathy  in  Price, 
thap.  2.    It  is  to  be  regretted,  I  must  add,  that  Major  Price 
has  contented  himself  with  quoting  the  names  of  the  Per- 
tian  works  which  he  follows,  without  any  acconnt  of  the 
Character,  age,  and  authority. — M. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  197 

of  choosing  two  independent  caliphs, 
would  have  crushed  in  their  infancy  the 
religion  and  empire  of  the  Saracens. 
The  tumult  was  appeased  by  the  dis- 
interested resolution  of  Omar,  who, 
suddenly  renouncing  his  own  preten- 
sions, stretched  forth  his  hand,  and  de- 
clared himself  the  first  subject  of  the 
mild  and  venerable  Abubeker.  The 
urgency  of  the  moment,  and  the  ac- 
quiescence of  the  people,  might  excuse 
this  illegal  and  precipitate  measure ; 
but  Omar  himself  confessed  from  the 
pulpit,  that  if  any  Musulman  should 
hereafter  presume  to  anticipate  the  suf- 
frage of  his  brethren,  both  the  elector 
and  the  elected  would  be  worthy  of 
death.^     After  the  simple  inauguration 

a  Ockley  (Hist,  of  the  Saracens,  vol.  i.  p.  5,  6,)  from  an 
Arabian  MS.  represents  Ayesha  as  adverse  to  the  substitu- 
tion of  her  father  in  the  place  of  the  apostle.^ 


»  The  anecdote  here  mentioned  seems  to  bo  an  allusion 
<o  the  following  scene,  which  took  place  before  the  death  of 
Mahomet.  Finding  that  he  had  not  strength  to  offer  up  the 
%vening  prayer,  the  prophet  ordered  that  Abu  Bekr  should 


198  Life  of  Mahomet, 

of  Abubeker,  Lie  was  obeyed  in  Medina, 
Mecca,  and  the  provinces  of  Arabia  :  the 
Hashemites  alone  declined  the  oath  of 
fidelity ;  and  their  chief,  in  his  own 
house,  maintained,  above  six  months,  a 
sullen  and  independent  reserve,  with- 
out listening  to  the  threats  of  Omar, 
who  attempted  to  consume  with  fire 
the  habitation  of  the  daughter  of  the 
apostle.  The  death  of  Fatima,  and  the 
decline  of  his  party,  subdued  the  indig- 
nant spirit  of  Ali :  he  condescended  to 
salute  the  commander  of  the  faithful, 
accepted  his  excuse  of  the  necessity  of 
subjugating  their  common  enemies,  and 
wisely  rejected  his  courteous  offer  of 
abdicating  the  government  of  the  Ara- 

pray  in  his  place ;  Ayesha,  however,  several  times  requested 
that  Omar  should  perform  the  service,  since  her  father  was 
BO  touched  that  he  could  not  pray  aloud.  But  Mahomet 
answered,  "  Thou  art  a  second  Potiphar's  wife  "—that  is,  as 
p-eat  a  hypocrite  as  she ;  since  he  well  knew  that  she  mus 
wish  her  father,  and  nobody  else,  by  offering  up  the  prayers, 
to  appear  in  a  certain  degree  as  his  representative.  (Wei^ 
Mohammed,  p.  32T.)— S. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  199 

bians.  After  a  reign  of  two  years,  the 
aged  caliph  Vas  summoned  b  j  the  angel 
of  death.  In  his  testament,  with  the 
tacit  approbation  of  his  companions,  he 
bequeathed  the  sceptre  to  the  firm  and 
intrepid  virtue  of  Omar.  "  I  have  no 
occasion,"  said  the  modest  candidate, 
"  for  the  place."  "  But  the  place  has 
occasion  for  you,"  replied  Abubeker  ;  * 
who  expired  with  a  fervent  prayer,  that 
the  God  of  Mahomet  would  ratify  his 
choice,  and  direct  the  Musulmans  in  the 
way  of  concord  and  obedience.  The 
prayer  was  not  ineffectual,  since  Ali 
himself,  in  a  life  of  privacy  and  prayer, 
professed  to  revere  the  superior  worth 
and  dignity  of  his  rival ;  who  comforted 
him  for  the  loss  of  empire,  by  the  most 
flattering  marks  of  confidence  and  es- 
teem.    In  the  twelfth^  year  of  his  reign, 

1  Caliph  in  Arabic  means  "successor."— S. 

'  Abu  Bekr  died  on  the  22d  August,  634,  after  a  reign  of 
*wo  years,  three  months  and  a  few  days,  (Weil,  vol.  I.  p. 
16  and  53.)-S. 

»  Eleventh.    Gibbon's  computation  is  wrong  on  his  owa 


200  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Omar  received  a  mortal  wound  from 
the  hand  of  an  assassin;  he  rejected 
with  equal  impartiality  the  names  of 
his  son  and  of  Ali,  refused  to  load  his 
conscience  with  the  sins  of  his  succes- 
sor, and  devolved  on  six  of  the  most 
respectable  companions  the  arduous 
task  of  electing  a  commander  of  the 
faithful.  On  this  occasion,  Ali  was 
again  blamed  by  his  friends  for  sub- 
mitting his  right  to  the  judgment  o^ 
men,  for  recognizing  their  jurisdiction 
by  accepting  a  place  among  the  six 
electors.  He  might  have  obtained  their 
suffrage,  had  he  deigned  to  promise  a 
strict  and  servile  conformity,  not  only 
to  the  Koran  and  tradition,  but  likewise 
to  the  determinations  of  two  seniors.^ 

showing.  Omar's  reign  lasted  ten  lunar  years,  six  months, 
and  four  days.  He  died  on  the  8d  November,  644  (Weil, 
vol.  i.  p.  180,  sq.)— S. 

1  This  conjecture  of  Q-ibbon's  is  confirmed  by  Dr.  "Weil'a 
aarrative  of  the  election  from  Arabian  authorities  (voL  L  p. 
153).  The  nomination  was  finally  intrusted  to  Abd  Errah 
man,  who  had  been  appointed  one  of  the  six  electors,  bu 


Life  of  Mahomet,  201 

With  these  limitations,  Othman,  the 
Becretary  of  Mahomet,  accepted  the 
government ;  nor  was  it  till  after  the 
third  caliph,  twenty-four  years  after  the 
death  of  the  prophet,  that  Ali  was  in- 
vested, by  the  popular  choice,  with  the 
regal  and  sacerdotal  office.  The  man- 
ners of  the  Arabians  retained  their 
primitive  simplicity,  and  the  son  of  Abu 
Taleb  despised  the  pomp  and  vanity  of 
this  world.  At  the  hour  of  prayer,  he 
repaired  to  the  mosch  of  Medina,  cloth- 
ed in  a  thin  cotton  gown,  a  coarse  turban 
on  his  head,  his  slippers  in  one  hand, 
and  his  bow  in  the  other,  instead  of  a 
walking-staff.  The  companions  of  the 
prophet  and  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes 
saluted  their  new  sovereign,  and  gave 
him  their  right  hands  as  a  sign  of  fealty 
and  allegiance. 

The  mischiefs  that  flow  from  the  con- 

yf\o  declined  for  himself  all  pretensions  to  the  caliphate. 
He  did  not,  however,  discharge  his  office  without  first  con- 
Kilting  the  people.    (lb.  p.  130, 131,  and  150-155.)— S. 


202  Life  of  Mahomet, 

tests  of  ambition  are  usually  confined 
to  the  times  and  countries  in  which  they 
have  been  agitated.  But  the  religious 
discord  of  the  friends  and  enemies  of 
Ali  has  been  renewed  in  every  age  of 
the  Hegira,  and  is  still  maintained  in 
the  immortal  hatred  of  the  Persians  and 
Turks.  The  former,  who  are  branded 
with  the  appellation  of  Shiltes  or  sec- 
taries, have  enriched  the  Mahometan 
creed  with  a  new  article  of  faith  ;  and 
if  Mahomet  be  the  apostle,  his  com- 
panion Ali  is  the  vicar,  of  God.  In 
their  private  converse,  in  their  public 
worship,  they  bitterly  execrate  the  three 
usurpers  who  intercepted  his  indefeasi- 
ble right  to  the  dignity  of  Imam  and 
Caliph  ;  and  the  name  of  Omar  express- 
es in  their  tongue  the  perfect  accom- 
plishment of  wickedness  and  impiety.' 

*  The  first  sect  that  arose  among  the  Moslems  was  a  po- 
Itical  one,  and  had  for  its  object  the  dethronement  of  Oth- 
jian.  It  was  founded  in  Egypt  by  Abdallah  Ibn  Saba,  a  na- 
tive of  Yemen,  and  of  Jewish  descent,  whom  Othman  had 


Life  of  Mahomet,  203 

The  Sonnites,  who  are  supported  by  the 
general  consent  and  orthodox  traditions 
of  the  Musulmans,  entertain  a  more 
impartial,  or  at  least  a  more  decent, 
opinion.  They  respect  the  memory  of 
Abubeker,  Omar,  Othman,  and  Ali, 
the  holy  and  legitimate  successors  of 
the  prophet.  But  they  assign  the  last 
and  most  humble  place  to  the  husband 
of  Fatima,  in  the  persuasion  that  the 
order  of  succession  was  determined  by 
the  degrees  of  sanctity.  An  historian 
who  balances  the  four  caliphs  with  a 
hand  unshaken  by  superstition,  will 
calmly  pronounce,  that  their  manners 
were  alike  pure  and  exemplary  ;  that 
their  zeal  was  fervent  and  probably  sin- 
cere ;  and  that,  in  the  midst  of  riches 

banished  from  Medina  for  finding  fault  with  his  govern- 
ment. Abdallah  maintained  that  Ali  had  been  Mahomet's 
»ssiv<»tant,  or  vizier,  and  as  such  was  entitled  to  the  caliphate, 
dut  of  which  he  had  been  cheated  by  Abd  Errahman,  The 
chief  article  of  his  speculative  belief  was  that  Mahomet 
rould  return  to  life,  whence  his  sect  was  named  that  of 
the  return."    (Weil,  voL  i.  p.  173,  sq.)— 8. 


204  Life  of  Mahomet. 

and  power,  their  lives  were  devoted  to 
the  practice  of  moral  and  religions 
duties.  But  the  public  virtues  of  Abu- 
beker  and  Omar,  the  prudence  of  the 
first,  the  severity  of  the  second,  main- 
tained the  peace  and  prosperity  of  their 
reigns.  The  feeble  temper  and  declin- 
ing age  of  Othman  were  incapable  of 
sustaining  the  weight  of  conquest  and 
empire.  He  chose,  and  he  was  de- 
ceived ;  he  trusted,  and  he  was  betray- 
ed :  the  most  deserving  of  the  faithful 
became  useless  or  hostile  to  his  govern- 
ment, and  his  lavish  bounty  was  pro- 
ductive only  of  ingratitude  and  dis- 
content. The  spirit  of  discord  went 
forth  in  the  provinces ;  their  deputies 
assembled  at  Medina ;  and  the  Chare- 
gites,  the  desperate  fanatics  who  dis- 
claimed the  3^oke  of  subordination 
and  reason,  were  confounded  among 
the  free-born  Arabs,  who  demanded 
the     redress    of     their     wrongs     and 


Life  of  Mahomet.  205 

the  punishment  of  their  oppressors. 
From  Cufa,  from  Bassora,  from  Egypt, 
from  the  tribes  of  the  desert,  they 
rose  in  arms,  encamped  about  a 
league  from  Medina,  and  despatched 
a  haughty  mandate  to  their  sovereign, 
requiring  him  to  execute  justice,  or 
to  descend  from  the  throne.^  His 
repentance  began  to  disarm  and  dis- 
perse the  insurgents ;  but  their  fury 
was  rekindled  by  the  arts  of  his  ene- 
mies ;  and  the  forgery  of  a  perfidious 
secretary  was  contrived  to  blast  his 
reputation  and  precipitate  his  fall.  The 

*  The  principal  complaints  of  the  rebels  were  that  0th- 
man,  on  the  occasion  of  his  new  edition  of  the  Koran— 
which  probably  contained  some  alterations — had  caused  all 
the  previous  copies  to  be  burned ;  that  he  had  enclosed  and 
appropriated  the  best  pasturages ;  that  he  had  recalled  Ha- 
kam,  who  had  been  banished  by  Mahomet ;  that  he  had  ill- 
treated  some  of  the  companions  of  the  prophet ;  and  that  he 
had  named  several  young  persons  as  governors  merely  be- 
cause they  were  his  relations.  He  was  likewise  accused  of 
neglecting  to  tread  in  the  footsteps  of  his  predecessors,  as 
he  had  promised  to  do  at  his  election ;  and  on  this  point 
Abd  Errahman  himself^  who  had  nominated  him,  wa&  hll 
accuser.    ("Weil,  vol.  i.  p.  178.)— S. 


206  Life  of  Mahomet, 

caliph  had  lost  the  only  guard  of  his 
predecessors,  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  the  Moslems ;  during  a  siege 
of  six  weeks  his  water  and  provisions 
were  intercepted,  and  the  feeble  gates 
of  the  palace  were  protected  only  by 
the  scruples  of  the  more  timorous 
rebels.  Forsaken  by  those  who  had 
abused  his  simplicity,  the  helpless  and 
venerable  caliph  expected  the  approach 
of  death ;  the  brother  of  Ayesha 
marched  at  the  head  of  the  assassins ; 
and  Othman,^  with  the  Koran  in  his 
lap,  was  pierced  with  a  multitude  of 
woundsc  A  tumultuous  anarchy  of 
five  days  was  appeased  by  the  inaugu- 
ration of  Ali :  his  refusal  would  have 
provoked  a  general  massacre.  In  this 
painful  situation  he  supported  the 
becoming  pride  of  the  chief  of  the 
Hashemites ;    declared    that    he     had 

1  Died  June  17,  656      Othman  was  upwards  of  eighty 
rears  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death.    (Weil,  vol  i.  p.  185 
-8. 


^^f^  ^f  Mahomet.  20*7 

rather  serve  than  reign ;  rebuked  the 
presumption  of  the  strangers,  and  re- 
quired the  formal,  if  not  the  voluntary, 
assent  of  the  chiefs  of  the  nation.  He 
has  never  been  accused  of  prompting 
the  assassin  of  Omar ;  though  Persia 
indiscreetly  celebrates  the  festival  of 
that  holy  martyr.  The  quarrel  be- 
tween Othman  and  his  subjects  was 
assuaged  by  the  early  mediation  of 
Ali ;  and  Hassan,  the  eldest  of  his 
sons,  was  insulted  and  wounded  in  the 
defence  of  the  caliph.  Yet  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  the  father  of  Hassan  was 
strenuous  and  sincere  in  his  opposition 
to  the  rebels ;  and  it  is  certain  that  he 
enjoyed  the  benefit  of  their  crime.  The 
temptation  was  indeed  of  such  magni- 
tude as  might  stagger  and  corrupt  the 
most  obdurate  virtue.  The  ambitious 
candidate  no  longer  aspired  to  the  bar- 
ren sceptre  of  Arabia ;  the  Saracens 
had  been   victorious  in    the  East  and 


208  I^if^  of  Mahomet. 

West ;  and  the  wealthy  kingdoms  of 
Persia,  Syria,  and  Egypt,  were  the 
patrimony  of  the  commander  of  the 
faithful. 

A  life  of  prayer  and  contemplatior. 
had  not  chilled  the  martial  activity  ot 
Ali ;  but  in  a  mature  age,  after  a  long 
experience  of  mankind,  he  still  be- 
trayed in  his  conduct  the  rashness  and 
indiscretion  of  youth.  In  the  first 
days  of  his  reign,  he  neglected  to 
secure,  either  by  gifts  or  fetters,  the 
doubtful  allegiance  of  Telha  and  Zo- 
beir,  two  of  the  most  powerful  of  the 
Arabian  chiefs.  They  escaped  from 
Medina  to  Mecca,  and  from  thence  to 
Bassora ;  erected  the  standard  of  re- 
volt ;  and  usurped  the  government  of 
Irak,  or  Assyria,  which  they  had 
vainly  solicited  as  the  reward  of  their 
services.  The  mask  of  patriotism  is 
allowed  to  cover  the  most  glaring  in 
consistencies;   and   the    enemies,   per 


Lif^  of  Mahomet,  209 

haps  the  assassins,  of  Othman,  now 
demanded  vengeance  for  his  blood. 
They  were  accompanied  in  their  flight 
by  Ayesha,  the  widow  of  the  prophet, 
who  cherished,  to  the  last  hour  of  her 
life,  an  implacable  hatred  against  the 
husband  and  the  posterity  of  Fatima.* 
The  most  reasonable  Moslems  were 
scandalized,  that  the  mother  of  the 
faithful  should  expose  in  a  camp  her 
person  and  character ;  but  the  super- 
stitious crowd  was  confident  that  her 
presence  would  sanctify  the  justice, 
and  assure  the  success,  of  their  cause. 
At  the  head  of  twenty  thousand  of  his 
loyal  Arabs,  and  nine  thousand  valiant 
auxiliaries  of  Cufa,  the  caliph  encoun- 
tered and  defeated  the  superior  num- 
bers of  the  rebels  under  the  walls  of 


*  AU  is  said  to  have  incurred  ler  hatred  by  remarking  to 
Mahomet,  at  the  time  when  he  ttos  dejected  by  his  suspi- 
rions  of  her  unfaithfulness— "  "W  hy  do  you  take  it  so  much 
•X)  heart?  There  are  plenty  moro  women  in  the  world." 
Weil,  vol.  i.  p.  196.)— S. 

14 


210  Life  of  Mahomet, 

Bassora.*  Their  leaders,  Telha  and 
Zobeir,'  were  slain  in  the  first  battle 
that  stained  with  civil  blood  the  arms 
of  the  Moslems.  After  passing  through 
the  ranks  to  animate  the  troops,  Ay- 
esha  had  chosen  her  post  amidst  the 
dangers  of  the  field.  In  the  heat  of 
the  action,  seventy  men,  who  held  the 
bridle  of  her  camel,  were  successively 
killed  or  wounded ;'  and  the  cage,  or 
litter,  in  which  she  sat,  was  struck  with 
javelins  and  darts  like  the  quills  of  a 
porcupine.  The  venerable  captive  sus- 
tained with  firmness  the  reproaches  of 
the  conqueror,  and  was  speedily  dis- 

1  The  reluctance  of  Ali  to  shed  the  blood  of  true  believ- 
ers is  strikingly  described  by  Major  Price's  Persian  histo- 
rians.   (Price,  p.  222.) -M. 

2  See  (in  Price)  the  singular  adventures  of  Zobeir.  He 
was  murdered  after  having  abandoned  the  army  of  the  in- 
surgents.  Telha  was  about  to  do  the  same,  when  his  leg 
was  pierced  with  an  arrow  by  one  of  his  own  party.  The 
wound  was  mortal.    (Price,  p.  222.) — M. 

'  According  to  Price,  two  hundred  and  eighty  of  th« 
Bennl  Beianziat  alone  lost  a  right  hand  in  this  servioe,  p 
i26.— M. 


Life  of  Mahomet,  211 

missed  to  her  proper  station,  at  the 
tomb  of  Mahomet,  with  the  respect 
and  tenderness  that  was  still  due  to  the 
widow  of  the  apostle.^  After  this  vic- 
tory, which  was  styled  the  Day  of  the 
Camel,"  Ali  marched  against  a  more 
formidable  adversary  ;  against  Moawi- 
yah,  the  son  of  Abu  Sophian,  who  had 
assumed  the  title  of  caliph^  and  whose 
claim  was  supported  by  the  forces  of 
Syria  and  the  interest  of  the  house  of 
Ommiyah.  From  the  passage  of  Thap- 
sacus,  the  plain  of  Siffin  extends  along 
the  western  bank  of  the  Euphrates.  On 
this  spacious  and  level  theatre,  the  two 
competitors  waged  a  desultory  war  of 
one  hundred  and  ten  days.  In  the 
course  of  ninety  actions  or  skirmishes, 

1  She  was  escorted  by  a  guard  of  females  disguised  aa 
Boldiers.  When  she  discoverd  tliis,  Ayesha  was  as  much 
gratified  by  the  delicacy  of  the  arrangement  as  she  had 
<jeen  offended  by  the  familiar  approach  of  so  many  men. 
(Price,  p.  229.)— M. 

1  From  the  camel  which  Ayesha  rode.  (Well,  voL  L  ■^ 
I10.)-S. 


212  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  loss  of  Ali  was  estimated  at  twenty- 
five,  that  of  Moawiyah  at  forty-five, 
thousand  soldiers  ;  and  the  list  of  the 
slain  was  dignified  with  the  names 
of  five-and- twenty  veterans  who  had 
fought  at  Beder,  under  the  standard  of 
Mahomet.  In  this  sanguinary  contest, 
the  lawful^  caliph  displayed  a  superior 
character  of  valor  and  humanity.  His 
troops  were  strictly  enjoined  to  await 
the  first  onset  of  the  enemy,  to  spare 
their  fiying  brethren,  and  to  respect  the 
bodies  of  the  dead,  and  the  chastity  of 
the  female  captives.  He  generously 
proposed  to  save  the  blood  of  the 
Moslems  by  a  single  combat ;  but  his 
trembling  rival  declined  the  challenge 

1  Weil  remarks  that  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
history  of  the  first  caliphs  was  collected  or  forged  under  the 
reign  of  the  Abassides,  with  whom  it  was  a  life  and  death 
point  to  depress  Moawiyah  and  the  Ommijahds,  and  to  elevate 
Ali.  If  all  is  true  that  is  related  in  Ali's  praise,  it  is  incom* 
prehensible  how  he  should  have  been  set  aside  by  Abu  Bekr 
Omai,  and  Othman,  and  should  not  even  have  been  able  t« 
malDtain  his  ground  when  named  caliph.    (VoL  1.  p.  254,  sq.) 


Life  of  Mahomet,  213 

as  a  sentence  of  inevitable  death.  The 
ranks  of  the  Syrians  were  broken  by 
the  charge  of  a  hero  who  was  mounted 
on  a  piebald  horse,  and  wielded  with 
irresistible  force  his  ponderous  and 
two-edged  sword.  As  often  as  he  smote 
a  rebel,  he  shouted  the  Allah  Acbar, 
"  God  is  victorious  !  "  and  in  the  tu- 
mult of  a  nocturnal  battle,  he  was 
heard  to  repeat  four  hundred  times 
that  tremendous  exclamation.  The 
prince  of  Damascus  already  meditated 
his  flight ;  but  the  certain  victory  was 
snatched  from  the  grasp  of  AH  by  the 
disobedience  and  enthusiasm  of  his 
troops.  Their  conscience  was  awed 
by  the  solemn  appeal  to  the  books  of 
the  Koran  which  Moawiyah  exposed 
on  the  foremost  lances ;  and  Ali  was 
compelled  to  yield  to  a  disgraceful 
ruce  and  an  insidious  compromise.  He 
:^etreated  with  sorrow  and  indignation 
o  Cufa ;    his  party  was  discouraged  • 


214  Life  of  Mahomet, 

the  distant  provinces  of  Persia,^  of 
Yemen,  and  of  Egypt,  were  subdued 
or  seduced  by  bis  crafty  rival ;  and  the 
stroke  of  fanaticism,  which  was  aimed 
against  the  three  chiefs  of  the  nation, 
was  fatal  only  to  the  cousin  of  Ma- 
homet. In  the  temple  of  Mecca, 
three  Charegites,"  or  enthusiasts,  dis- 
coursed of  the  disorders  of  the  church 
and  state  :  they  soon  agreed,  that  the 
deaths  of  Ali,  of  Moawiyah,  and  of  his 
friend  Amrou,  the  viceroy  of  Egypt, 
would  restore  the  peace  and  unity  of 
religion.  Each  of  the  assassins  chose 
his   victim,   poisoned   his   dagger,    de- 

1  According  to  Weil,  Ali  retained  Persia.  (VoL  i.  p.  247.) 
— S. 

2  Chawarij,  or  Charijites  (deserters,  rebels),  was  the  name 
given  to  all  those  who  revolted  from  the  lawful  Imam. 
Gibbon  seems  here  to  confound  them  with  the  Chazrajites, 
one  of  the  two  tribes  of  Medina.  (See  above,  p.  125.)  They 
were  divided  into  six  principal  sects  ;  but  they  aU  agreed  in 
rejecting  the  authority  both  of  Othman  and  Ali,  and  the 
damnation  of  those  caliphs  formed  their  chief  tenet.  (Weil, 
vol.  i.  p.  231.)  They  were  very  numerous,  and  had  risen 
In  open  rebellion  against  Ali,  who  was  obliged  to  resort  U 
force  to  reduce  them  to  obedience.    (lb.  p.  237.)— 8. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  215 

voted  his  life,  and  secretly  repaired  to 
the  scene  of  action.  Their  resolution 
was  equally  desperate :  but  the  first 
mistook  the  person  of  Amrou,  and 
Btabbed  the  deputy  who  occupied  his 
seat ;  the  prince  of  Damascus  was 
dangerously  hurt  by  the  second;  the 
lawful  caliph  J  in  the  mosch  of  Cufa, 
received  a  mortal  wound  from  the  hand 
of  the  third.  He  expired  in  the  sixty- 
third  year  of  his  age,*  and  mercifully 
recommended  to  his  children,  that  they 
would  despatch  the  murderer  by  a 
single  stroke.  The  sepulchre  of  Ali 
was  concealed  from  the  tyrants  of  the 
house  of  Ommiyah :  but  in  the  fourth 
age  of  the  Hegira,  a  tomb,  a  temple,  a 
city,  arose  near  the  ruins  of  Cufa. 
Many  thousands  of  the  Shiites  repose 
in  holy  ground  at  the  feet  of  the  vicar 
of  God  ;  and  the   desert  is  vivified  by 

'  On  the  2l8t  of  January,  661,  two  days  after  the  morta. 
Wow.    (Weil,  vol.  L  p.  250.)— S. 


216  Life  of  Mahomet. 

the  numerous  and  annual  visits  of  the 
Persians,  who  esteem  their  devotion 
not  less  meritorious  than  the  pilgrim- 
age of  Mecca. 

The  persecutors  of  Mahomet  usurped 
the  inheritance  of  his  children  ;  and  the 
champions  of  idolatry  became  the  su- 
preme heads  of  his  religion  and  empire. 
The  opposition  of  Abu  Sophian  had 
been  fierce  and  obstinate  ;  his  conver- 
sion was  tardy  and  reluctant ;  his  new 
faith  was  fortified  by  necessity  and  in- 
terest; he  served,  he  fought,  perhaps 
he  believed ;  and  the  sins  of  the  time 
of  ignorance  were  expiated  by  the  re- 
cent merits  of  the  family  of  Ommiyah. 
Moawiyah,  the  son  of  Abu  Sophian, 
and  of  the  cruel  Henda,  was  dignified 
in  his  early  youth  with  the  office  or 
title  of  secretary  of  the  prophet :  the 
judgment  of  Omar  intrusted  him  with 
the  government  of  Syria ;  and  he  ad- 
ministered   that    important    province 


-^«/^  of  Mahomet,  21'' 

above  forty  years,  either  in  a  subordi- 
nate or  supreme  rank.  Without  re- 
nouncing the  fame  of  valor  and  liber- 
ality, he  affected  the  reputation  of  hu- 
manity and  moderation  ;  a  grateful  peo- 
ple were  attached  to  their  benefactor ; 
and  the  victorious  Moslems  were  en- 
riched with  the  spoils  of  Cyprus  and 
Rhodes.  The  sacred  duty  of  pursuing 
the  assassins  of  Othman  was  the  engine 
and  pretence  of  his  ambition.  The 
bloody  shirt  of  the  martyr  was  exposed 
in  the  mosch  of  Damascus  :  the  emir 
deplored  the  fate  of  his  injured  kins- 
man ;  and  sixty  thousand  Syrians  were 
engaged  in  his  service  by  an  oath  of 
fidelity  and  revenge.  Amrou,  the  con- 
queror of  Egypt,  himself  an  army,  was 
the  first  v/ho  saluted  the  new  monarch, 
and  divulged  the  dangerous  secret,  that 
the  Arabian  caliphs  might  be  created 
<alsewhere  than  in  the  city  of  the 
prophet./      The  policy   of  Moawiyah 


218  Life  of  Mahomet, 

eluded  the  valor  of  his  rival ;  and,  after 
the  death  of  Ali,  he  negotiated  the  ab- 
dication of  his  son  Hassan,  whose  mind 
was  either  above  or  below  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  and  who  retired 
without  a  sigh  from  the  palace  of  Cufa 
to  an  humble  cell  near  the  tomb  of  his 
grandfather.  The  aspiring  wishes  of 
the  caliph  were  finally  crowned  by  the 
important  change  of  an  elective  to  an 
hereditary  kingdom.  Some  murmurs 
of  freedom  or  fanaticism  attested  the 
reluctance  of  the  Arabs,  and  four  citi- 
zens of  Medina  refused  the  oath  of 
fidelity  ;^  but  the  designs  of  Moawiyah 

1  These  were,  Hosein,  All's  son ;  Abd  Allah,  the  son  of 
Zubeir ;  Abd  Errahman,  son  of  Abu  Bekr ;  and  Abd  Allah, 
son  of  Omar.  Moawiyah.  having  failed  in  his  attempts  to 
gain  them  over,  caused  them  to  be  seized  and  led  into  the 
mosch,  each  accompanied  by  two  soldiers  with  drawn 
Bwords,  who  were  ordered  to  stab  them  if  they  attempted 
to  speak.  Moawiyah  then  mounted  the  pulpit,  and,  ad- 
dressing the  assembly,  said  that  he  had  seen  the  necessity  of 
having  his  son's  title  recognized  before  his  death,  but  tha 
be  had  not  taken  this  step  without  consulting  the  four  prin 
eipal  men  in  Mecca,  who  were  then  present,  and  who  haa 


Life  of  Mahomet,  21& 

were  conducted  with  vigor  and  ad- 
dress ;  and  his  son  Yezid,  a  feeble 
and  dissohite  youth,  was  proclaimed  as 
the  commander  of  the  faithful  and  the 
successor  of  the  apostle  of  God. 

A  familiar  storj  is  related  of  the 
benevolence  of  one  of  the  sons  of  Ali. 
In  serving  at  table,  a  slave  had  inad- 
vertently dropt  a  dish  of  scalding  broth 
on  his  master :  the  heedless  wretch 
fell  prostrate,  to  deprecate  his  punish- 
ment, and  repeated  a  verse  of  the 
Koran :  ^'  Paradise  is  for  those  who 
command  their  anger  :  " — "  I  am  not 
angry  :  " — "  and  for  those  who  pardon 
offences  :  " — "  I  pardon  your  offence  :  " 
; — "  and  for  those  who  return  good  for 
evil :  " — "  I  give  you  your  liberty,  and 
four  hundred  pieces  of  silver."     With 

entirely  agreed  with  his  views.  He  then  called  npon  the 
assembly  to  do  homage  to  his  son ;  and  as  the  four  prisoners 
did  not  venture  to  contradict  his  assertion,  Tezid  was  ac- 
knowledged by  those  present  as  Moawiyah's  successor, 
tWeil,  voL  i.  p.  280,  sq.)— S. 


220  Life  of  Mahomet, 

an  equal  measure  of  piety,  Hosein,  the 
younger  brother  of  Hassan,  inherited  a 
remnant  of  his  father's  spirit,  and  served 
with  honor  against  the  Christians  in  the 
fiiege  of  Constantinople.  The  primo- 
geniture of  the  line  of  Hashem,  and  the 
holy  character  of  grandson  of  the  apos- 
tle, had  centred  in  his  person,  and  he 
was  at  liberty  to  prosecute  his  claim 
against  Yezid,  the  tyrant  of  Damascus, 
whose  vices  he  despised,  and  whose 
dtle  he  had  never  deigned  to  acknowl- 
edge. A  list  was  secretly  transmitted 
from  Cufa  to  Medina,  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  thousand  Moslems,  who  pro- 
fessed their  attachment  to  his  cause, 
and  who  were  eager  to  draw  their 
swords  so  soon  as  he  should  appear  on 
the  banks  of  the  Euphrates.  Against 
the  advice  of  his  wisest  friends,  he  re- 
solved to  trust  his  person  and  family  in 
the  hands  of  a  perfidious  people.  He  tra- 
versed the  desert  of  Arabia  with  a  time 


Life  of  Mahomet,  221 

rous  retinue  of  women  and  children ; 
but  as  he  approached  the  confines  of 
L'ak,  he  was  alarmed  by  the  solitary  or 
liostile  face  of  the  country,  and  suspect- 
ed either  the  defection  or  ruin  of  his 
party.  His  fears  were  just :  Obeidol- 
lah,  the  governor  of  Cufa,  had  extin- 
guished the  first  sparks  of  an  insurrec- 
tion ;  and  Hosein,  in  the  plain  of  Ker- 
bela,  was  encompassed  by  a  body  of 
^\Q,  thousand  horse,  who  intercepted  his 
communication  with  the  city  and  the 
river.  He  might  still  have  escaped  to 
a  fortress  in  the  desert,  that  had  defied 
the  power  of  Csesar  and  Chosroes,  and 
confided  in  the  fidelity  of  the  tribe  of 
Tai,  which  would  have  armed  ten  thou- 
sand warriors -in  his  defence.  In  a  con- 
ference with  the  chief  of  the  enemy,  he 
proposed  the  option  of  three  honorable 
conditions  ;  that  he  should  be  allowed 
to  return  to  Medina,  or  be  stationed  in  a 
frontier  garrison  against  the  Turks,  or 
H 


222  Life  of  Mahomet. 

safely  conducted  to  the  presence  of 
Yezid.  But  the  commands  of  the 
caliph,  or  his  lieutenant,  were  stern  and 
ahsolute  ;  and  Hosein  was  informed  that 
he  must  either  submit  as  a  captive  and 
a  criminal  to  the  commander  of  the 
faithful,  or  expect  the  consequences  of 
his  rebellion.  "  Do  you  think,"  replied 
he,  "  to  terrify  me  with  death  ?  "  And, 
during  the  short  respite  of  a  night,  he 
prepared  with  calm  and  solemn  resigna- 
tion to  encounter  his  fate.  He  checked 
the  lamentations  of  his  sister  Fatima, 
who  deplored  the  impending  ruin  of 
his  house.  "  Our  trust,"  said  Hosein, 
"  is  in  God  alone.  All  things,  both  in 
heaven  and  earth,  must  perish  and  re- 
turn to  their  Creator.  My  brother,  my 
father,  my  mother,  were  better  than 
me,  and  every  Musulman  has  an  ex- 
ample in  the  prophet."  He  pressed  his 
friends  to  consult  their  safety  by  a 
timely  flight :  they  unanimously  refused 


Life  of  Mahomet.  223 

to  desert  or  survive  their  beloved  mas- 
ter ;  and  their  courage  was  fortified  by 
a  fervent  prayer  and  the  assurance  of 
paradise.  On  the  morning  of  the  fatal 
day,  he  mounted  on  horseback,  with 
his  sword  in  one  hand  and  the  Koran 
in  the  other :  his  generous  band  of 
martyrs  consisted  only  of  thirty-two 
horse  and  forty  foot ;  but  their  flanks 
and  rear  were  secured  by  the  tent-ropes, 
and  by  a  deep  trench  which  they  had 
filled  with  lighted  faggots,  according  to 
the  practice  of  the  Arabs.  The  enemy 
advanced  with  reluctance,  and  one  of 
their  chiefs  deserted,  with  thirty  fol- 
lowers, to  claim  the  partnership  pi  in- 
evitable death.  In  every  close  onset, 
or  single  combat,  the  despair  of  the 
Fatimites  was  invincible ;  but  the  sur- 
rounding multitudes  galled  them  from 
a  distance  with  a  cloud  of  arrows,  and 
the  horses  and  men  were  successively 
eJain ;   a  truce  was   allowed   on  both 


224  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Bides  for  the  hour  of  prayer ;  and  the 
battle  at  length  expired  by  the  death 
of  the  last  of  the  champions  of  Hosein. 
Alone,  weary  and  wounded,  he  seated 
himself  at  the  door  of  his  tent.  As  he 
tasted  a  drop  of  water,  he  was  pierced 
in  the  mouth  with  a  dart ;  and  his  son 
and  nephew,  two  beautiful  youths,  were 
killed  in  his  arms.  He  lifted  his  hands 
to  heaven — they  were  full  of  blood — and 
he  uttered  a  funeral  prayer  for  the  liv- 
ing and  the  dead.  In  a  transport  of 
despair  his  sister  issued  from  the  tent, 
and  adjured  the  general  of  the  Cufians, 
that  he  would  not  suffer  Hosein  to  be 
murdered  before  his  eyes  :  a  tear  trick- 
led down  his  venerable  beard ;  and  the 
boldest  of  his  soldiers  fell  back  on  every 
side  as  the  dying  hero  threw  himself 
among  them.  The  rem-orseless  Shamer, 
a  name  detested  by  the  faithful,  re- 
proached their  cowardice ;  and  the 
grandson  of  Mahomet  was  slain  with. 


Life  of  Mahomet.  2ii 

three  and  tliirtj  strokes  of  lances  and 
Bwords.  After  thej  had  trampled  on 
his  body,  they  carried  his  head  to  the 
castle  of  Cufa,  and  the  inhuman  Obei- 
dollah  struck  him  on  the  mouth  with 
a  cane  :  "  Alas  !  "  exclaimed  an  aged 
Musulraan,  "  on  these  lips  have  I  seen 
the  lips  of  the  apostle  of  God  1  "  In  a 
distant  age  and  climate  the  tragic  scene 
of  the  death  of  Hosein  will  awaken  the 
sympathy  of  the  coldest  reader.  On 
the  annual  festival  of  his  martyrdom, 
in  the  devout  pilgrimage  to  his  sepul- 
chre, his  Persian  votaries  abandon 
their  souls  to  the  religious  frenzy  of 
sorrow  and  indignation. 

When  the  sisters  and  children  of  Ali 
were  brought  in  chains  to  the  throne  of 
Damascus,  the  caliph  was  advised  to 
extirpate  the  enmity  of  a  popular  and 
hostile  race,  whom  he  had  injured  be- 
yond the  hope  of  reconciliation.  But 
Yezid  preferred  the  counsels  of  mercy ; 


226  Life  of  Mahomet, 

and  the  mourning  family  was  honorably 
dismissed  to  mingle  their  tears  with 
their  kindred  at  Medina.  The  glory 
of  martyrdom  superseded  the  right  of 
primogeniture ;  and  the  twelve  imams, 
or  pontijffs,  of  the  Persian  creed,  are 
Ali,  Hassan,  Hosein,  and  the  lineal  de- 
scendants of  Hosein  to  the  ninth  gene- 
ration. Without  arms  or  treasures,  or 
subjects,  they  successively  enjoyed  the 
veneration  of  the  people,  and  provoked 
the  jealousy  of  the  reigning  caliphs  ; 
their  tombs  at  Mecca  or  Medina,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Euphrates,  or  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Chorasan,  are  still  visited  by 
the  devotion  of  their  sect.  Their  names 
were  often  the  pretence  of  sedition  and 
civil  war ;  but  these  royal  saints  de- 
spised the  pomp  of  the  world,  submit- 
ted to  the  will  of  God  and  the  injustice 
of  man,  and  devoted  their  innocent  lives 
to  the  study  and  practice  of  religion. 
The   twelfth   and   last  of  the   Imams 


Life  of  Mahomei.  227 

conspicuous  by  the  title  of  Mahadi, 
or  the  Guide,  surpassed  the  solitude  and 
sanctity  of  his  predecessors.  He  con- 
cealed himself  in  a  cavern  near  Bagdad  : 
the  time  and  place  of  his  death  are  un- 
known ;  and  his  votaries  pretend  that 
he  still  lives,  and  will  appear  before  the 
day  of  judgment  to  overthrow  the  tyr- 
anny of  Dejal,  or  the  Antichrist.  In 
the  lapse  of  two  or  three  centuries  the 
posterity  of  Abbas,  the  uncle  of  Ma- 
homet, had  multiplied  to  the  number  of 
thirty-three  thousand  ;  the  race  of  Ali 
might  be  equally  prolific ;  the  meanest 
individual  was  above  the  first  and 
greatest  of  princes ;  and  the  most  emi- 
nent were  supposed  to  excel  the  perfec- 
tion of  angels.  But  their  adverse  for- 
tune, and  the  wide  extent  of  the  Musul- 
tnan  empire,  allowed  an  ample  scope 
for  every  bold  and  artful  impostor,  who 
claimed  affinity  with  the  holy  seed  ;  the 
eceptre  of  the  Almohades  in  Spain  and 


228  Life  of  Mahomet. 

Africa,  of  the  Fatiraites  in  Egypt  and 
Syria,  of  the  sultans  of  Yemen,  and  of 
the  sophis  of  Persia,  has  been  conse- 
crated by  this  vague  and  ambiguous 
title.  Under  their  reigns  it  might  be 
dangerous  to  dispute  the  legitimacy  of 
their  birth  ;  and  one  of  the  Fatimite 
caliphs  silenced  an  indiscreet  question 
by  drawing  his  scymitar  :  "  This,"  said 
Moez,  "  is  my  pedigree ;  and  these," 
casting  a  handful  of  gold  to  his  soldiers, 
— "  and  these  are  my  kindred  and  my 
children."  In  the  various  conditions  of 
princes,  or  doctors,  or  nobles,  or  mer- 
chants, or  beggars,  a  swarm  of  the 
genuine  or  fictitious  descendants  of 
Mahomet  and  Ali  is  honored  with  the 
appellation  of  sheiks,  or  sherifs,  or 
emirs.  In  the  Ottoman  empire,  they 
are  distinguished  by  a  green  turban, 
receive  a  stipend  from  the  treasury,  are 
judged  only  by  their  chief,  and,  how- 
ever debased  by  fortune  or  character 


Life  of  Mahomet,  229 

Btill  assert  the  proud  pre-eminence  o:^ 
their  birth.  A  family  of  three  hundred 
persons,  the  pure  and  orthodox  branch 
of  the  caliph  Hassan,  is  preserved  with- 
out taint  or  suspicion  in  the  holy  cities 
of  Mecca  and  Medina,  and  still  retains, 
after  the  revolutions  of  twelve  centu- 
ries, the  custody  of  the  temple  and  the 
sovereignty  of  their  native  land.  The 
fame  and  raerrit  of  Mahomet  would  en- 
noble the  plebeian  race,  and  the  ancient 
blood  of  the  Koreish  transcends  the 
recent  majesty  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth. 

The  talents  of  Mahomet  entitle  him 
to  our  applause,  but  his  success  has 
perhaps  too  strongly  attracted  our  ad- 
miration. Are  we  surprised  that  a  mul- 
titude-of  proselytes  should  embrace  tha 
doctrine  and  the  passions  of  an  eloquent 
fanatic  ?  In  the  heresies  of  the  church 
the  same  seduction  has  been  tried  and 
repeated  from  the  time  of  the  apostlea 


230  Life  of  Mahomet. 

to  that.of  the  reformers.  Does  it  seem 
incredible  that  a  private  citizen  should 
grasp  the  sword  and  the  sceptre,  subdue 
his  native  country,  and  erect  a  mon- 
archy by  his  victorious  arms  ?  In  the 
moving  picture  of  the  dynasties  of  the 
East,  a  hundred  fortunate  usurpers  have 
arisen  from  a  baser  origin,  surmounted 
more  formidable  obstacles,  and  filled  a 
larger  scope  of  empire  and  conquest. 
Mahomet  was  alike  instructed  to  preach 
and  to  fight,  and  the  union  of  these  op- 
posite qualities,  while  it  enhanced  his 
merit,  contributed  to  his  success :  the 
operation  of  force  and  persuasion,  of 
enthusiasm  and  fear,  continually  acted 
on  each  other,  till  every  barrier  yielded 
to  their  irresistible  power.  His  voice 
invited  the  Arabs  to  freedom  and  vic- 
tory, to  arms  and  rapine,  to  the  indul- 
gence of  their  darling  passions  in  this 
world  and  the  other :  the  restraints 
which  he  imposed  were  requisite  to  es* 


Life  of  Mahomet,  231 

tablisli  the  credit  of  the  prophet,  and  to 
exercise  the  obedience  of  the  people ; 
and  the  only  objection  to  his  success 
was  his  rational  creed  of  the  unity  and 
perfections  of  God.  It  is  not  the  prop- 
agation, but  the  permanency  of  his  re- 
ligion that  deserves  our  wonder :  the 
same  pure  and  perfect  impression  which 
he  engraved  at  Mecca  and  Medina,  is 
preserved  after  the  revolutions  of  twelve 
centuries,  by  the  Indian,  the  African, 
and  the  Turkish  proselytes  of  the  Ko- 
ran. If  the  Christian  apostles,  St.  Peter 
or  St.  Paul,  could  return  to  the  Yatican, 
they  might  possibly  inquire  the  name  of 
the  Deity  who  is  worshipped  with  such 
mysterious  rites  in  that  magnificent 
temple :  at  Oxford  or  Geneva,  they 
would  experience  less  surprise ;  but  it 
might  still  be  incumbent  on  them  to 
peruse  the  catechism  of  the  church, 
and  to  study  the  orthodox  commentators 
on  their  own  writings  and  the  words  (X 
their  Master.     But  the  Turkish  dome  ci 


202  Life  of  Mahomet. 

St.  Sophia,  with  an  increase  of  splendor 
and  size,  represents  the  hnmble  taberna- 
cle erected  at  Medina  by  the  hands  of 
Mahomet.  The  Mahometans  have  uni- 
formly withstood  the  temptation  of  redu- 
cing the  objects  of  their  faith  and  devo- 
tion to  a  level  with  the  sense  and  imagina- 
tion of  man.  "  I  believe  in  one  God,  and 
Mahomet  the  apostle  of  God,"  is  the  sim- 
ple and  invariable  profession  of  Islam. 
The  intellectual  image  of  the  Deity 
has  never  been  degraded  by  any  visible 
idol;  the  honors  of  the  prophet  have 
never  transgressed  the  measure  of  hu- 
man virtue ;  and  his  living  precepts  have 
restrained  the  gratitude  of  his  disciples 
within  the  bounds  of  reason  and  relig- 
ion. The  votaries  of  Ali  have  indeed 
consecrated  the  memory  of  their  hero, 
his  wife,  and  his  children ;  and  some  of 
the  Persian  doctors  pretend  that  the  di- 
vine essence  was  incarnate  in  the  person 
of  the  Imams  ;  but  their  superstition  is 
universally  condemned  by  the  Sonnites; 


Life  of  Mahomet.  233 

and  their  impiety  has  afforded  a  seasona- 
ble warning  against  the  worship  of  saints 
and  martjrs.  The  metaphysical  ques- 
tions on  the  attributes  of  God,  and  the 
liberty  of  man,  have  been  agitated  in 
the  schools  of  the  Mahometans,  as  well 
as  in  those  of  the  Christians  ;  but  among 
the  former  they  have  never  enraged  the 
passions  of  the  people  or  disturbed  the 
tranquillity  of  the  state.  The  cause  of 
this  important  difference  may  be  found  in 
the  separation  or  union  of  the  regal  and 
sacerdotal  characters.  It  was  the  in- 
terest of  the  caliphs,  the  successors  of  the 
prophet  and  commanders  of  the  faithful, 
to  repress  and  discourage  all  religious 
innovations :  the  order,  the  discipline, 
the  temporal  and  spiritual  ambition  of 
the  clergy,  are  unknown  to  the  Moslems  ; 
and  the  sages  of  the  law  are  the  guides 
of  their  conscience  and  the  oracles  of 
their  faith.  From  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Qanges  the  Koran  is  acknowledged  as 
the  fundamental  code,  not  only  of  the- 


234  Life  of  Mahomet. 

ologj  but  of  civil  and  criminal  jurispru- 
dence ;  and  the  laws  which  regulate  the 
actions  and  the  property  of  mankind, 
are  guarded  by  the  infallible  and  im- 
mutable sanction  of  the  will  of  God. 
This  religious  servitude  is  attended  with 
Bome  practical  disadvantage  ;  the  illiter- 
ate legislator  had  been  often  misled  by 
his  own  prejudices  and  those  of  his  coun- 
try ;  and  the  institutions  of  the  Arabian 
desert  may  be  ill  adapted  to  the  wealth 
and  numbers  of  Ispahan  and  Constan- 
tinople. On  these  occasions,  the  Cadhi 
respectfully  places  on  his  head  the  holy 
volume,  and  substitutes  a  dexterous  in- 
terpretation more  apposite  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  equity,  and  the  manners  and 
policy  of  the  times. 

His  beneficial  or  pernicious  influence 
on  the  jpublic  happiness  is  the  last  con- 
Bideration  in  the  character  of  Mahomet. 
The  most  bitter  or  most  bigoted  of  his 
Christian  or  Jewish  foes,  will  surely  al- 
low that  he  assumed  a  false  commission 


Life  of  Mahomet.  235 

to  inculcate  a  salutary  doctrine,  less  pep 
feet  only  than  their  own.  He  piously 
supposed,  as  the  basis  of  his  religion, 
the  truth  and  sanctity  of  their  prior  rev 
elations,  the  virtues  and  miracles  of  their 
founders.  The  idols  of  Arabia  were 
broken  before  the  throne  of  God ;  the 
blood  of  human  victims  was  expiated 
by  prayer,  and  fasting,  and  alms,  the 
laudable  or  innocent  arts  of  devotion ; 
and  his  rewards  and  punishments  of  a 
future  life  were  painted  by  the  images 
most  congenial  to  an  ignorant  and  car- 
nal generation.  Mahomet  was  perhaps 
incapable  of  dictating  a  moral  and  po- 
litical system  for  the  use  of  his  coun- 
trymen: but  he  breathed  among  the 
faithful  a  spirit  of  charity  and  friend- 
ehip,  recommended  the  practice  of  the 
social  virtues,  and  checked,  by  his  laws 
arid  precepts,  the  thirst  of  revenge  and 
the  oppression  of  widows  and  orphans. 
The  hostile  tribes  were  united  in  faith 
and  obedience,  and  the  valor  which  had 


236  Life  of  Mahomet.  ^ 

been  idly  sp^nt  in  domestic  quarrels 
was  vigorously  directed  against  a  for- 
eign enemy.  Had  the  impulse  been  less 
powerful,  Arabia,  free  at  home,  and 
formidable  abroad,  might  have  flourish- 
ed under  a  succession  of  her  native  mon- 
archs.  Her  sovereignty  was  lost  by  the 
extent  and  rapidity  of  conquest.  The 
colonies  of  the  nation  were  scattered  over 
the  East  and  "West,  and  their  blood  was 
mingled  with  the  blood  of  their  converts 
and  captives.  After  the  reign  of  three 
caliphs,  the  throne  was  transported  from 
Medina  to  the  valley  of  Damascus  and 
the  banks  of  the  Tigris ;  the  holy  cities 
were  violated  by  impious  war ;  Arabia 
was  ruled  by  the  rod  of  a  subject,  per- 
haps of  a  stranger  ;  and  the  Bedoweens 
of  the  desert,  awakening  from  their 
dream  of  dominion,  resumed  their  old 
and  solitary  independence. 

FINIS. 


